Policing in a different era A new book by a west of Ireland garda reveals many changes in Irish culture People and Places Michael Commins 
FOUR decades in the Garda Síochána saw Sligo native Joe Dunleavy sample a lot of life. Joe was born in Rinbane, close to Coolaney and Mullinabreena, and served for a time in Mayo during the mid-1960s. Many of his reminisces are included in a newly-published book, ‘A Tour of Duty’, which should find favour with many who trod a similar path over the years.
Joe takes readers on an engaging journey from his young days growing up in rural Sligo until he eventually joined the guards in 1954. Driving cattle to the fairs in Tubbercurry and Ballymote during his school days and the rural way of life that was to be found all over Ireland in those times is recalled with a certain nostalgia and affection in this trip down memory lane.
His first posting was to Fitzgibbon Street and Joe revisits some humorous stories from his early days in the city. One evening at the junction of O’Connell Street and Abbey Street, a complaint was received that onlookers were shouting abuse at one of the regular Sunday evening speakers.
“I remember she was an elderly lady preaching about God and the Resurrection. She was about to finish and said, ‘Thank God I am safe in the arms of Jesus tonight.’ Suddenly, one of the onlookers shouted in his best Dublin accent, “How are you fixed for tomorrow night?”
Even members of the force can sometimes end up on the wrong side of the law.
“On one occasion on a Friday night we were called to the Shakespeare Bar in Parnell Street when a garda from another station got drunk. The customers had all left the premises and the owner, who was a friendly Kerryman, only wanted to get rid of the fellow and no more about the matter.
“I knew the man involved. I spoke to him and advised him to go. He said ‘get lost’. We had to call a van and with all the extra help we finally got him into the van and it took four gardaí to hold him down. While getting him into the van the crowd were shouting aloud at us, as they knew the culprit was a garda. After getting the fellow into a cell in the station, we had to call out the Superintendent and the garda was suspended immediately. I think he later got a suspended sentence and resigned.
“I remember on another occasion getting a call to the ‘Teachers Club’ in Parnell Square. One fellow who was drunk was causing trouble and we arrested him. When putting him into the back of the car he gave me a kick on the chin and I immediately reacted with a punch in the face. An elderly guard with me shouted to stop it or we could get killed.
“However, on entering the Garda Station that same garda said to me, ‘now you can start on him.’ He went to hit him and I shouted ‘No f…… way’. I was never into that kind of thing and I never hit anybody in cold blood. Of course, there was a lot of brutality everywhere then and the gardaí were no exception. Thank God that day is gone now.”
One other story from his days in Dublin is worth relating here, surely a throw-back to more innocent times.
“On a Sunday night at about 11pm while I was on duty in the patrol car, I received a call to go to Groome’s Hotel in Parnell Square. It was most unusual to get a call there. The majority of the customers were Fianna Fáil politicians.
“I went to the entrance door and met the proprietor, Joe Groome. He informed me that a fracas had occurred in the bar over an autograph and it involved a tall robust man who I thought I recognised. His name was Robert (Bob) Mitchum, the film star. A lady guest in the hotel had approached him for an autograph. Instead of signing his name, he wrote ‘up my ars* h**e’. Her friends objected and a row broke out. After some more arguments and threats, Mitchum decided he would sign his autograph for the lady. They all then shook hands and Mitchum requested that he would sign my notebook. I agreed and then left the premises amid cheers and laughter.”
Joe’s first assignment in Mayo was in Carrowkennedy between Westport and Leenane back in 1964. Joe recalls that when a senior member was retiring, a function was held in Westport Garda Station and later they would retire to a small hotel next door, known at the time as ‘The Royal’.
“We would have a few drinks there and usually we would return later to the station where we would have more drinks and the sergeant’s wife who lived in the building would make some sandwiches and at times we would finish up with a sing song.” (What a more natural and human life back then compared with the mandatory breath-testing and its devastating and shocking impact on rural social life in recent times).
In August of 1964, Joe was transferred temporarily to Kilmaine during which time he went boating for the first time on Lough Corrib. In January, 1965, Joe was appointed to Kiltimagh where he was to spend three months.
He was later posted for a short time to Lahardane which he enjoyed a lot.
“All the locals there were very friendly and on a number of occasions I played poker with the local curate and his friends in an upstairs pub in Crossmolina. They were a lovely group of clergy who enjoyed a friendly game of cards and a few drinks.”
Mayo was Joe’s last post before packing his belongings and heading for Rathkeale in Co Limerick, a place where he was to spend most of the rest of his life and where he still resides today.
In the mid-1970s, like many other members of the gardai, he was assigned to Border duties. Tensions were running very high in the North at the time. He was beside the Diamond in Monaghan the evening the bomb went off, and had just arrived back at the hotel after getting the evening paper.
“We were sitting at the table for less than a minute when a terrible blast occurred. We all knew immediately that this blast had to be a bomb, even though none of us experienced a bomb blast previously. We rushed out of the hotel and looking up towards the Diamond we could see the cloud of dust and smoke. A few of us ran up to where it was and what a terrible sight.
“The Sunset public house had been demolished, with all the windows blown in. We managed to scramble inside and a number of dead men were thrown on the floor. Their faces and hands were blackened with dust. It was a most frightening sight to see and one I will remember for the rest of my life.”
A Tour of Duty is the story of an ordinary country lad from the West of Ireland who happened to see an advert in a newspaper for the Garda Siochána and who opted for that route in life. It’s an enjoyable read, written in plain language, laced with humour, but also with its share of reflection and sadness. In other words, a real life story. It retails at €25 in hardback and €15 in paperback and is published by Fitzsimons Printers, Shanagolden, Co Limerick. Tel 069 76226.
