Thurles Information

The funeral of Detective Garda Colm Horkan shot dead in Castlerea, Co Roscommon on Thursday last, will take place in his home town of Charlestown on Sunday next.

As a mark of respect, books of condolence have been opened at garda stations all over the country including here in Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

The Mayo native joined the Garda in 1994 and attended at the Garda Training College in Templemore, Co. Tipperary, at the same time as sadly the late Detective Garda Adrian Donohue, latter also fatally shot dead in Bellurgan, Co Louth on the 25th January 2013, during a robbery on a Credit Union office, by an armed gang of five people.

Described by all who knew him as the quintessential local guard; well reputed and always available for any problem, big or small; alas, Det. Gda. Horkan, who had only been assigned to plain clothes duty a few weeks ago, has now become the 89th member of An Garda Síochána to be slain, at the age of just 49 years.

Predeceased by his mother Dolores and twin sister Colette; Det. Gda. Horkan will be sadly missed by his heartbroken family; father Marty; sister Deirdre; brothers Aiden, Brendan, Dermot and Padraig; sisters-in-law; aunts Kitty (Walsh, Charlestown), Colette (Brennan) and Vera (Hora, USA); nieces; nephews; extended relatives; colleagues in An Garda Síochána; neighbours and wide circle of friends.

Detective Garda Colm Horkan will lie in repose at the family funeral home on Saturday afternoon, with removal on Sunday morning to arrive at St. James’s Church, Charlestown for Funeral Mass at 12:00 noon, followed by interment in the adjoining cemetery.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

The funeral Mass will be broadcast live HERE and on Midwest Radio.

The extended Horkan family wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time and have made arrangements for those wishing to send messages of condolence, to use the link shown HERE.

Note Please: Family flowers only.

We understand that up to 14 people have been arrested (1 woman and 13 men) with all remaining in Garda custody, as part of ‘Operation Coronation’, latter initially set up to target Co. Limerick’s feuding criminal gangs, one of which is centred on the King’s Island area of the city. This criminal gang are known to have interests and members in adjoining counties, including Tipperary, Limerick and Clare.

At 6.00am this morning, in excess of 170 Gardaí; members of the Criminal Assets Bureau; the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau; together with members of the Defence Forces, were involved in carrying out searches on 67 properties in all three of the aforementioned counties and confirm that a substantial amount of cash in Euro, Sterling, old Irish currency and Dirham, (latter Dirham being the currency of the United Arab Emirates), Drugs, Jewelry and property have been seized.

In all, during this operation Gardaí seized the following:-
Some €220,000.00 in Euros, Sterling, Dirham and old Irish currency.
Deeds to a property in Dubai.
One motor vehicle valued at approximately €50,000.00.
€100,000 worth of jewellery and luxury watches.
High value clothing items
Significant evidence to support the current investigation, including financial accounts and property documentation.
Suspected drugs to the value of €23,500.
Two cocaine presses
Two bank accounts have also been frozen, containing sums in excess of €119,000.

The Irish Army Search Engineers, the Army Bomb Disposal Team and an army helicopter have been also involved.

This mornings operation forms part of the Limerick Divisional crime strategy and is a central plank of the Divisional Policing Plan, in the targeting of organised crime.