Garda Con Nolan retires in Claremorris

Con Nolan retires in Claremorris


Michael Commins

CON Nolan was, by any standards, was an exceptional community worker on behalf of the Garda Siochana. He came to Claremorris in 1989 and, for the past 20 years, was among the best known members of the force in the Claremorris region.
The Castlerea native joined the Garda Siochana back in November 1972. His first posting was to Offaly where he spent ten years between Dangan and Tullamore. During that time, Con was deeply involved in sport and played senior football with Offaly in the 1975 Leinster championship series.
This decade saw him at his height with regards involvement in sporting activities on the fields of play. He was a member of the Laois-Offaly Garda Division that won two national GAA titles in the highly competitive internal competitions of the Gardai back then. He also played rugby with the Laois-Offaly Division as well as featuring prominently in basketball circles in Offaly.
He was assigned to Mayo in 1983 where he was based in both Ballinrobe and Westport for the next six years before being appointed to Claremorris station in 1989, the year Mayo reached their first All Ireland senior final since 1951.
Con quickly made himself at home in the region. He wife Carmel Staunton is a native of Claremorris town and this was a very helpful advantage in getting to know the people of the town and the connections and relations that form such a community.
Over the next 20 years, Con gave tremendous service to the Claremorris region. He was an exemplary member of the Garda Siochana and rendered service way beyond the call of normal duty.
The people of the Claremorris area took him to their hearts from the outset and that respect grew more and more with the years. He was at all times approachable, the man “on the ground”, the person people trusted in a remarkable way.
His input into the community life of the region was phenomenal, ranging from the No Name Club to the Pioneers and various other fields of activity.
Con’s compassionate nature helped solve many a situation for which numerous people have every reason to be grateful to him. Discretion, commonsense, and always willing to give people that second chance, gained him enormous respect as well as gratitude from those who, for one reason or another, and because we are all human, found themselves in tight corners now and again.
The retirement social for Con was held in the Dalton Inn Hotel, where the staff excelled on the night, and such was the demand for tickets that some were unable to secure them for the dinner. That spoke volumes for his standing in the community.
Detective Garda Mick Conway, who did a fine job in his role as compere, welcomed all to the celebration and lauded the contribution of Con as a member of An Garda Siochana and also as a great community man in Claremorris.
Music was provided by the Caher Sound and a marvellous night was had by all in the Dalton Inn Hotel. Many on the night referred to Con as a ‘sound man’. Being ‘sound’ in a rural community is the best endorsement anyone can hope for. And no ‘sounder’ man than Con, a true servant of the people.