IR E AUTUMN 2023
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www.ipaireland.org Issue 58
IPA FINLAND ON TOUR
NORDIC COLLEAGUES ENJOY A VISIT TO OUR CAPITAL CITY
YOUNG POLICE OFFICERS FORUM IRISH MEMBERS ATTEND FLENSBURG ON PATROL
BEARA WAYS AN ENJOYABLE TREK IN WEST CORK
T H E L I F E ST Y L E & L E I S U R E M AG A Z I N E FO R I PA M E M B E R S O F A N G A R DA S Í O C H Á N A
IPA
Accommodation Prices 2024
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J OU R N A L IR E LA N D
CONTENTS
Dear Members,
AUTUMN 2023
Our new online system is in full operation for 2024. Bookings are available up to 10 months in advance. We appreciate not everyone is tech savy, while we very much encourage online bookings, if you need assistance, please contact us at the IPA House Office. IPA House bookings are part of the online system but for management purposes it’s not publicly available. Any IPA Ireland Member booking accommodation must do a once off website registration.
IPA House Dublin
22 COMPETITION/OFFERS
€35 per night PPS
Rate per night includes the following:
Non Members
€40 per night PPS
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Accommodation for up to 6 adults/kids
•
Free Parking
•
Cleaning/Linen & Towels
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Family Access to Aquila Leisure Centre/Gym
Children under 16 years old – Half Price & Infants under 3 years old - Free
Non Members
30
GIMBORN SEMINARS 2024 20 places for IPA Ireland members in Germany
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ST. PAULS GCU Check the latest exclusive offers
October – April
€220 two nights minimum (Additional nights at €110 per night – Max €500 for 7 Nights)
FEATURES
€30 per night PPS
May
€500 per week
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€35 per night PPS
June
€675 per week
July
€725 per week
August
€725 per week
September
€550 per week
Apartments (excluding Killarney) IPA Members
IPA ACCOMMODATION Updated Pricing for Autumn 2023
Killarney Apartment Only
IPA Members
Single Supplement charge is withdrawn
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IPA Members children (16+) €30 per night All Children under 16 yrs FREE in all Apartments
Single Supplement Charge is withdrawn
All Prices are shown inclusive of Vat at 13.5% rate Vat invoice issued for each booking May – September - Seven nights minimum stay Saturday to Saturday Only
High Season (July & August)
Low Season (October to June inclusive Apartments Only)
Bed Linen & Towels (Overseas Visitors Only) €10 per person per stay
Galway
€575 per week
Cork, Sligo & Wexford
€300 per week
Cork
€450 per week
Galway
€365 per week
Sligo & Wexford
€400 per week
Note: Minimum 7-day rental in High Season, Sat to Sat, (week max) Bed Linen & Towels (Overseas Visitors Only) €10 per person per stay
Note: Applies to 7-day rental in Low Season only
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YPO – FLENSBURG ON PATROL Two serving members attend week long event in Germany
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IPA IRELAND/NORTHERN IRELAND CROSS BORDER SEMINAR IPA A successful one day event at PSNI College
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DMR WEST MEMBER IN SA/WEXFORD MEET THE HOMICIDE HUNTER IPA Members meeting and greeting IPA friends
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THE TITANIC The proclaimed unsinkable ship Part 3
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IPA NATIONAL SOCCER COMPETITION Mens and Ladies Teams battle it out to go to Majorca
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IPA FINLAND ON TOUR Nordic group see the sights and blue lights of Dublin
Bed Linen & Towels (overseas visitors only) €10/person (per stay)
Accommodation Officer: Chris Verling, 13 Iona Drive, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, D09 RC94, Ireland Email: accommodation@ipaireland.org Tel: +353 (0)1 830 2907 Facebook: www.facebook.com/ipaIrelandHouses Twitter: www.twitter.com/IpaIrelandHouse
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IPA FRIENDSHIP IN THE CITY OF LIGHT VP Declan O Byrne meets French colleagues in Paris
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JOE FANNING IPA Member Joe recalls some memorable moments
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BEARA WAY Richard Casey tours this stunning part of West Cork
REGULARS 4
EDITORIAL News and views on your IPA Journal edition
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE A message and thoughts from the President
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PRESIDENT’S DIARY It has been a busy time of late in IPA Ireland
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IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
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President’s
Welcome to the Autumn 2023 edition of the IPA Journal.
Editorial
IPA
I hope that you have had an enjoyable summer. It certainly was an eventful one for IPA Ireland with plenty of activity across the Country, and with a number of our members attending International events. In this edition, we have a mix of articles which I hope you will find of interest..
JOURN AL IRE LA ND
AUTUMN 2023
Our Vice President Declan joined many other Irish Rugby fans in Paris to experience the jovial atmosphere in the French capital, and even bumped into a few players, thanks to the hospitality of some local IPA friends. Of course there were many more ‘mules’ in the City, some of whom are pictured on our cover image, working side by side their French colleagues keeping people safe in this truly international sporting event. Well done to Mick Moran and his team for proudly representing An Garda Síochána and Ireland. IPA Member Richard Casey will have a detailed article on this deployment in our Winter 2023 Edition.
www.ipaireland.org
IPA Journal is distributed to members of the International Police Association in Ireland, 75% are serving members of An Garda Síochána of all ranks, the remainder being retirees. We also mail the magazine to friends of IPA Ireland overseas.
This magazine is sustained by the generous support of sponsors and advertisers; we exhort our members to appreciate this and to patronise those who contribute to our success. All revenue received by IPA in excess of requirements is devoted to philanthropic purposes. IPA provides funding for scholarships, relief of distress, charities, education, sport, cultural pursuits, bonds of friendship and co-operation between all police officers.
Two members of our Young Police Officer’s Forum attended ‘Flensburg on Patrol’, a week-long event in Northern Germany with serving police officers from across Europe in attendance. Cathal and Lindsey had a great time and this type of activity is certainly what IPA is all about.
IPA Office:
Message Conor O’Higgins
Autumn 2023
A
s we look forward to the Autumn, there are two events that are very much linked to the services we provide to our membership. These events are:
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Half Yearly meeting due in November; Regional AGMs.
The Half Yearly meeting will be held and allow for the Regional Chairs and Secretaries to review National Council 2023 and areas requiring attention at mid-year between National Council 2023 and National Council 2024. The venue and agenda will be circulated by Secretary General Carlo Griffin shortly after publication of this issue. Regional AGMs are scheduled for this time of the year. I urge all Regional Committees to plan at least one IPA event during the next year and avail of the grants available for such activities.
IPA House, 13 Iona Drive, Glasnevin, Dublin 9. T: 01 830 2907 F: 01 830 4612 E: ipairish@gmail.com
Some of our Committee Members from around the Country welcomed IPA visitors from Finland and the US, if any of our readers would like to participate in these meet and greets, just get in touch, we are always looking for assistance, certainly in Dublin where most of our guests arrive.
Editorial Board
Regional membership should consider availing of the:
Editor: Chris Cahill E: chris@ipaireland.org
» Twenty (20) sponsored places in IPA organised seminars at Gimborn Schloss, Germany.
Donie Sweeney and his team had a great day in Longford for the IPA National Soccer Competition on 19th October, with the DMR NC and Cavan/Monaghan men’s Teams, as well as the Sligo/Leitrim ladies’ team all heading to Majorca next year. We wish them well in the International event.
National Treasurer: Damian Crummey
IPA Ireland is sponsoring twenty (20) places on Seminars at Gimborn Castle in North Rhine Westphalia next year. Ten (10) places are for the Irish led Seminar – Workplace Wellbeing, which is being held from 1st to 5th July 2024. Applicants can also choose any of the other English speaking Seminars, covering areas such as terrorism, defensive tactics, police use of drones, and tactical first aid. Your accommodation, meals, transfers and seminar fees are covered, you just have to pay for your return flights to Cologne. This is usually a brilliant experience, be sure to apply – the application form is printed in this edition of the Journal.
President: Conor O’Higgins
1st Vice President: Marie Daly Contributors
Conor O’ Higgins
Joe Fanning
Declan O’ Byrne
Michael McGrath
Donal Sweeney
Richard Casey
Disclaimer: The views expressed in IPA Journal unless expressly stated, do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor, the Publications Management Committee, the International Police Association, the Publisher, An Garda Síochána or the Garda Commissioner. The Editor reserves the right to edit and abridge any material submitted for publication. Durgan Media excludes liability for any loss or damage resulting from errors or inaccuracies in the printing or omission of the whole or part of any advertisement. Further, views expressed within editorial content reflect those of the author, not those of Real Media, and are printed in good faith for informational purposes only. Advertisement material may not be reproduced without prior written permission from Real Media. The contents of the publication, such as text, graphics, images and other material may be protected by copyright under both Irish and foreign laws. Unauthorised use of the material may violate copyright, trademark and other laws.
Photo by Erik Witsoe on Unsplash
Servo Per Amikeco
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James Healy
Real Media Group Suite 167, CoLab Business Centre, Port Road, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal T: 074 91 77893 E: publish@realmedia.group
I hope that you have an enjoyable and hopefully not too rainy Autumn.
email: chris@ipaireland.org
Hayden McGurk
Chris Verling
Publishers
Finally, we would continue to encourage you to go to our website and register for online access, before downloading the IPA App. This will provide you with prompt communications on IPA activity and events worldwide. Don’t forget to turn on ‘push notifications’!
Chris Cahill Editor
Cathal Dunne
» The Arthur Troop Scholarship available for educational and professional advancement.
IPA App - This App was rolled out in November 2022. The App is a means of instant communication of IPA news and activities. It was a response to the wishes of our membership, in particular the Junior Members of our Association. To date some 1,300 members have registered and are using the App in particular for online booking of our IPA accommodation. It is important that numbers registering increase, and hopefully all members will register to avail of this medium of communication.
Half Yearly Meeting Mullingar Park Hotel Our Regional Committees should note that the date for the IPA Ireland Half Yearly Meeting has been set for 18th November 2023 and will take place this year in Mullingar. Each Regional Committee is asked to send two (2) Delegates to this event, which provides an opportunity for Regional Committees to meet each other and NEC Members, where any issues can be raised and discussed. Lunch will be served at 12:30 pm with the Meeting commencing at 14:00 pm. An Agenda for the day will issue in advance, can the names of those attending be emailed to Secretary General Carlo Griffin by 8th November 2023 please. Please note: For anyone who wishes to stay overnight, please book directly with the hotel.
Young Police Officers Programme – Assistant Secretary General, Joyce O’Grady, continues to build on the progress made in this area, which includes: » Identifying the needs of our junior members » Developing a National and Regional Young Police Officers Forum to work with the National Executive Committee » Developing inter Section contacts through participation in the Gimborn Conversations Group of fourteen Sections mainly in Northern Europe.
In conclusion I take this opportunity to pay tribute to a great friend of Section Ireland. Einar Jónsson, member of the International Executive Bureau and former President of Section Iceland, who died after a short illness. Einar was a guest of honour at our National Congress 2022 in Trim and endeared himself to the delegates in attendance. Our sympathies go to his wife and two daughters and his colleagues in IPA Iceland. May Einar rest in peace. Mise i gcairdeas
Conor O’Higgins
President IPA Ireland E: conorohiggins@gmail.com IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
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PRESIDENT’S DIARY
PRESIDENT’S DIARY
President’s Diary Autumn Edition 2023 GRSMA Conference 13th June Attended annual conference of Garda Retired Members Association Dinner at Rosses Point, Sligo. I received a very warm welcome and delighted to join our friends in the GSRMA. Financial Commission 19th June Attended the Financial Commission meeting at Arboretum, Carlow. Passing Out Parade 28th July Invited to attend the Passing Out Parade at Garda College when the Ned Joy Scholarship Award was presented to Garda Jake Sexton, posted to Dundalk Station, who will join three other recipients for 2023 and travel on scholarship to Norway. Great work once again by the Garda College. Heads of Commission 10th August Chaired meeting of the Heads of Commissions. This group includes 1st Vice President, Marie Daly, Cultural Commission, Vice President Declan O’Byrne, Social Commission, National Treasurer, Damian Crummey, Finance Commission and Secretary General, Carlo Griffin, Professional Commission. The meeting was called for the purpose of planning for the new term after the Summer break. Friendship Liverpool/Merseyside 29th/30th August Invited guest at Liverpool/Merseyside Region of Section UK special banquet. This region is twinned with our Cork City region and it was the occasion of their special friendship Week where members from UK, Poland, US, Canada, Germany enjoyed Liverpool/Merseyside hospitality. I was delighted to meet lots of IPA friends and make a presentation to the Chair of Liverpool/Merseyside Region Julian Deardon.
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17th September - 70th Anniversary – Region 2 (Northern Ireland) Section UK. Catherine Joined me as special guests of Chair of Region 2, Deirdre Mahoney and Committee at a celebration to mark 70 years of IPA in Northern Ireland, at Stormont Parliament Buildings (Full report in the next edition). 9th October - Gimborn Seniors and Juniors Accompanied by Assistant Secretary General Joyce O’Grady and Ronan Fitzsimmons, member of Young Police Officers Forum, we attended the Gimborn Seniors and Juniors meeting at Gimborn College. The meeting was attended by representatives from nine Sections and matters of mutual interest were discussed.
Gimborn Seniors and Juniors
Passing Out Parade at Garda College
The Archive Committee
Conor O‘ Higgins & Julian Deardon
13th October - IPA Archive Committee Great progress being made in the IPA Archive Project. The committee met in Mullingar and were delighted to welcome former Editor, Brendon Colvert to the meeting. Brendon is the holder of many documents relating to the early stages of IPA Ireland’s formation and possesses a vast knowledge of how IPA developed in Ireland. He has first-hand knowledge of, and met on many occasions, the Founder, Arthur Troop. Brendon has offered to be a Benefactor of Archives in his possession and we look forward to the official handover of his archives when our Archive Office is secured at IPA House, Iona Drive. We are really fortunate to have Brendon as a Benefactor. National Executive Committee and Commission meetings NEC and Commission meetings were held on a monthly basis both virtual and in person. Yours in friendship Conor O’Higgins President
IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
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IPA Friendship in the City of Love
IPA Friendship in the City of Love
IPA Friendship in...
the city of light E
arlier this year our good friend and IPA France member, Stéphane Le Roch, invited my wife Janice and I to his home city of Orléans for the Loire Festival in September. He also mentioned that there would be a surprise. Although we had holidayed in France over many years when the children were younger, we had never been to this area, so that, together with the intrigue of a surprise, made it an easy decision to book the flights and go! So, on Monday 18th September, we said au revoir to Ireland and took the early morning flight to Beauvais Paris where Stéphane met us on arrival. We then headed to Orléans where we had lunch in Stéphane’s favourite bar “Le Paris” before a walking tour of the city. Enjoying beautiful late summer weather, we walked to the Cathédrale Sainte-Croix d’Orléans and then into the square to get the obligatory photograph with the statue of Joan of Arc. The old town was full of quaint old buildings with a lot of antique and curio shops and of course bars which Stéphane said turned into “Temple Bar” at night. Later in the afternoon, Stéphane took us to his home in the village of Chécy, where we were welcomed by his wife Séverine. Unbeknownst to us they had invited other members of IPA Orléans to dinner. It was great to meet Cyril and his wife Magali again - I had met them on their first visit with Stéphane to Dublin in March 2012. Also invited were Thierry and Emmanuelle who have visited Ireland on many occasions and had recently returned from a stay in the IPA apartment in Sligo. The following morning Tuesday we were up bright and early and headed to the beautiful Chambord Castle
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by Declan
O’Byrne
with its magnificent gardens, Chapel, and the famous double spiral staircase. After lunch, we had a tour of the main police station in Orléans where we met with Emmanuelle and Thierry again. We enjoyed an aperitif in the station bar where we were introduced to retired French Policeman, Marc, a member of the Orléans IPA committee, and his wife Genevieve, before all heading to the old town for dinner in one of the many restaurants. On Wednesday morning, after a walk around Chécy, we were off to the city of Tours where we met Yves Essermeant, President of IPA Indre et Loire and his wife Elisabeth (Babeth). They greeted us warmly and brought us to lunch. The city was adorned with Irish flags and the flag of Irish rugby. There were signs everywhere welcoming the Irish to the city. Then they revealed the surprise! We were going to Chateau Belmont, the hotel where the Irish Rugby team were based, and we’d have a chance of meeting them as they returned after their morning training session. Stéphane had an IPA plaque which was commissioned by IPA France to be presented to the Irish Rugby Team to wish them good luck in the World Cup. We were in a cordoned-off area just at the hotel gate with a very small group of other supporters and when the bus pulled up the members of the team came straight over to us to chat. They shook our hands, and we wished them good luck for the upcoming match against South Africa that Saturday. When Mack Hansen stopped, I asked if he would accept the IPA presentation and I told him about the IPA worldwide and our IPA Rugby Forum. Stéphane then presented him with the IPA plaque and we got photographs with many members of the team.
We were all abuzz as we headed back to the city centre where we went to the local police station to meet with Frederic of local IPA and the man behind arranging for us to meet with the Irish Rugby Team. He gave us a tour of the station, we exchanged gifts and had photos taken. Yves and Babeth then brought us on a walking tour of Tours when we saw many beautiful churches and historical buildings. They very kindly invited us to dine with them that evening. Yves trained as a butcher before he joined the police, and we were treated to his homemade pork and boar rillettes followed by homemade boudin blanc (white sausage). Having had a great evening with marvellous food, chat and equal measure of wine and cognac, I was glad I wasn’t the one to drive back to Chécy. It was a magical experience and all thanks to IPA Tours, especially Yves, Babeth and Frederic. Next morning, we were up and on the road again bright and early on the way to Paris. The rain was horrendous and traffic on the motorway even worse. When we got to the outskirts of Paris we parked up and got the Metro to the city centre. Although we have been to Paris many times before, there is always something new to see especially if you’re with a local. Stéphane began his police service in Paris so although not a native Parisian he was very familiar with the city. Stéphane had pre-booked tickets for Sainte Chapelle but even so, the popularity of the site meant we had to queue for 45 minutes in torrential rain. The wait was worth it. Built in the 13th century, it is famed for its IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
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Flensburg
15 stained glass windows that are a kaleidoscope of colours. From there, we walked to Irish Culture Centre in Paris formally the Irish College. Founded in 1578 to house priests, seminarians, and scholars, it had many uses over the years including being a military hospital and after WW2 the US army used it as a shelter for displaced persons. The chapel there is still open to the public, so we said a prayer for an Irish win! In the Cultural Centre, there were two exhibitions, one of a tapestry entitled The Kilburn Tapestries by “Electronic Sheep” a depiction of many famous Irish faces who lived in London in the 1980s to 2000s, and the other was an art exhibition by Colin Martin called” Empathy Lab” a series of paintings that depicts the relationship between humans and technology. A fantastic discovery. After a stroll around the Pantheon, we headed back to the Métro and drove home to Orléans to visit the Loire Festival that evening. The weather wasn’t kind to the organisers but the French joie de vivre wasn’t dampened by the rain. The festival area was down at the riverbank where boats were lit up, pigs were being roasted on spits, bands were playing, people were line dancing … all in all a great atmosphere! A big thank you to Stéphane and Séverine for hosting us and to the members of IPA France who we met during our trip to France. It is a trip we will remember for a long time. Yours in friendship. Declan O’Byrne
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FLENSBURG ON PATROL TOOK PLACE FROM 29TH AUGUST TO 5TH SEPTEMBER 2023 IN FLENSBURG, GERMANY, AND WAS ORGANISED BY IPA FLENSBURG – SCHLEISWIG. THE EVENT COMPRISED OF OFFICERS FROM IRELAND, THE UK, (WALES AND GUERNSEY) AUSTRIA, BELGIUM, DENMARK, THE NETHERLANDS AND NORWAY.
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his has been my first IPA trip, and the perfect start to a greater involvement in the IPA. The event was targeted specifically at “Young Police Officers” and concentrated on 3 core topics, Self-protection, Alcohol and drug use on the roads, and Perception of the Police in public places. The trip started at Dublin Airport where I met my Garda Colleague for the first time. I am happy to report that we got on well after only briefly communicating by text before the event. It was the start of the making of friendships during the trip, where we would shortly be thrown into the deep end of embodying the IPA motto Servo per Amikeco. As soon as we arrived, we were welcomed at the airport by our main hosts, who could not have been more accommodating to us throughout if they tried, thank you to Harmut Kleist, Tore Hagedorn and Jan Krüger. We were quickly transported from Hamburg Airport along a long drive to Flensburg, in northern Germany. It is a beautiful part of the world where the border with Denmark is visible most of the time across a beautiful body of water. When I joined An Garda Síochána, never did I imagine that I would be spending a week in a German naval base. We were made comfortable in Glucksburg-Meierwik Barracks. Neither could I have imagined, in uniform, signing the visitors book of the Flensburg City Council Chamber where we were welcomed by City President Susänne Schäfer-Quack and Deputy Head of the Flensburg Police Department, LKD Marco Jäger. This was the official opening of the event, and we spent much time admiring each other’s uniforms and introducing ourselves to our various international colleagues. We went from here to the regional control room, where interestingly they share a control centre with the fire department, offering greater cooperation and coordination between police, fire and ambulance services. We also visited the unfinished new state of the art control room, which, when complete will have a crèche area for children and a limited number of beds for scenario’s where, in an emergency, officers could be available in the control room for much longer than their expected shift. This Operations Centre is due to go live in November 2023.
The following day, Day 2 - we travelled to Eutin to visit the Police Training Centre. First, we took a tour of the state-of-the-art firearms training facility. There is a labyrinth of different doors and rooms offering a variety of different training scenarios to challenge trainees. Further into the Centre, highly realistic rooms, bedrooms, office rooms and bars are available for officers to train scenarios under stress. We were also offered a demonstration from the BFE Unit, who demonstrated their techniques for breaching doors and arresting a violent suspect. There was an obvious emphasis on firearms tactics in these scenarios. This was perhaps the biggest culture shock from my perspective. With the exception of our UK colleagues, all other participating nations are routinely armed, with the exception of our Norwegian counterparts who are not ordinarily armed, but constantly have access to firearms should the need arise. Our European colleagues, in addition to being armed with a pistol, have access to a larger rifle in the patrol vehicle as well as much heavier body armour owing to the high level of alert, to facilitate a response to a terror attack. During this visit, we also met the riot police and observed a demonstration of the Water Canon. This state-of-the-art machine demonstrated its effectiveness at clearing a large hostile crowd, the different levels of force it can use, and the scenarios in which a water canon would be deployed were explained. I was grateful to be able to see one of these machines up close and also intrigued to learn that the machine can filter water it absorbs from a hydrant in order to fill up a water tanker that can be used for humanitarian purposes in the event of a water shortage. Here we also met the specialist services, who provide scuba diving services and operate separately to water or marine units in Germany. They are also equipped with specialist tools for protest removal, and have been called to remove protesters who had locked themselves to railway tracks. This unit are also equipped with a large digger with a crane unit attached to the rear. This is used for clearing out a pathway towards an encampment in the wilderness or removing parts of an unstable building in the event of an arson investigation. IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
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The Second World War formally ended in Flensburg with the surrender of the Third Reich on 23rd May 1945. More specifically, it ended in the Flensburg Police Station which hosted us, where after Hitler’s death, the highest-ranking Generals surrendered before the world’s media. From here, in the yard of the Police Station, word spread around the world that the war was over. It was a surreal experience to later be enjoying a BBQ and Flensburg’s local beers in this same yard during an annual event held for police colleagues and other invited guests such as court prosecutors and other colleagues who would regularly work together. This was a great event and a great coming together for the 13 IPA participants and our hosts. The following day, we took part in a guided walking tour of Flansburg and spent the majority of this day socialising.
On Saturday morning, I found myself on foot in Flensburg, accompanied by our colleagues. Walking the beat in Germany is no different than in Ireland, it is a community policing based approach, where stopping and talking to the public is the key focus. One of our UK colleagues had his Body worn camera with him on the tour for the purpose of taking photos. Aware that An Garda Síochána will soon be using body cameras, I was interested in hearing about their experience. Of all other participating countries, body worn cameras are not worn as part of the uniform, however both UK colleagues welcomed them massively. That night we took to the streets for a massive “control” which I would liken
to a Super MIT Checkpoint that would be undertaken here. Demonstrative of the massive organization and planning taken on by our hosts, 13 police cars were made available, and each IPA visitor was placed in a separate car with two German Police officers who were either attached to the Flensburg Police Department or the Roads Policing Unit, the PABR. This gave us all a chance to have 1 on 1 experience working with our German Colleagues and made it very easy to ask them any questions we may have. After a brief scramble to find Ad Blue for our vehicle, we took to the roads. The focus of the night was intoxicated driving, Germany is set to pass legislation to legalise cannabis for recreational use. This has led to a greater uptake of the
If a drug is indicated, the driver is then arrested and taken back to a station where a doctor takes a blood sample. While a record of their time in custody is kept, it is rather different to a custody record as we would know it and all the prisoners’ rights are not explained in the same manner we would. The very quick processing of a suspected drink driver meant that we had arrested and processed 2 suspected drug drivers in the space of an hour. I thoroughly enjoyed this night spent learning how the German police work and interacting with the public. The following day after a late breakfast we were welcomed by Police officer Olaf Karstens, who is a member of the IPA flying club. He very generously took us all to the sky in a small Cessna plane taking us on a sky tour of the picturesque Flensburg. As I am not naturally inclined to be an airborne Garda, I found the tour exhilarating at points. On our final day we visited the Water Police in Kiel. The Water Unit would be something of a personal interest to me so this day was highly anticipated. The water police essentially patrol the seas and large canals within their jurisdiction. In our introduction we were shown slides of protestors in Kayaks who had blocked a large shipping channel. We boarded the coastal boat, the “Falshöft” it is a large patrol boat with a crane capable of lowering a smaller rib speed boat into the water to board other boats. A planned tour on this boat could sadly not go ahead as the ship required repairs. However, our hosts did not disappoint and quickly made arrangements for us to be taken out on a fast boat and our coxswain was even willing to let us take control of the boat. All in all the thrill of operating such a fast boat was probably more entertaining than a tour on a larger boat may have been. The State Police social media team also joined us here to take some excellent photos to recall the trip. Later by chance we met Prime Minister Daniel Günther, who was just as welcoming of the International Police Association as everyone else we had met.
Following this excursion we retired to the Flensburger brewery where the local beer is brewed and bottled, the brewery has been a major employer for Flensburg since its establishment. It was at the Bar in the brewery where Flensburg on Patrol was officially closed with parting words from our hosts. It was an ideal end to a perfect week and a perfect place to reflect on the week we had had. It was a bittersweet moment as I thoroughly enjoyed the week and forming bonds and friendships with my international colleagues. I learnt a great deal about policing in different countries, while there are some dramatic differences in our police services and how things are done, we all share the same aims and objectives and wish to serve our communities as well and as professionally as we can. This has been my first trip with IPA and it has certainly encouraged me to become more active in the organisation. I would highly recommend to anyone considering applying to partake in a trip, or any international events at all to do it. I was incredibly proud to represent the IPA and An Garda Síochána on an international front and it was made easy and enjoyable thanks to the excellent planning and organisation by Harmut Kleist, Tore Hagedorn and Jan Krüger. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them publicly for achieving such an excellent event. The motto of the IPA Servo per Amikeco really ran through for the entire trip. As a testament to this, some of us are planning to travel to The Netherlands for the IPA new year’s party and I hope to remain in contact with the colleagues we met on Flensburg on Patrol, hopefully welcoming them to Ireland at some point in the not too distant future. Cathal Dunne IPA Member
drug however, it remains totally illegal to drive a vehicle under the influence of the drug. This has resulted in a correspondingly high number of people driving under the influence of the drug. Another massive difference to our method for detecting drugs, in Germany, persons suspected of driving having consumed drugs are invited to provide a voluntary urine test. To my surprise, this test is done on the side of the road, the officer then takes a sample of the urine with a dropper and places a small urine sample on a test plate, exactly like a covid test which then indicates what drugs are in the donor’s system.
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IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
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Wexford members meet
IPA SEMINAR ON CURRENT POLICING ISSUES 27th April 2023 @ PSNI Police Training College, Garnerville
O
n 27th April this year a seminar on current policing issues was held at Garnerville Police Training College, Belfast. It was jointly organised by IPA Section UK’s Region 2 (Northern Ireland) and Section Ireland. There were over one hundred IPA members in attendance. Presentations were given by serving and retired members of the PSNI and An Garda Síochána. The day started off with a presentation from Inspector David McInerney, Terenure Garda Station. David spoke about gender based violence, from a national and international perspective, within minority communities. Prior to being promoted to Inspector, David was head of the Garda Racial, Intercultural and Diversity Unit for almost 20 years. While there he studied for a PhD. After he gave his presentation, Inspector McInerney returned to Terenure Garda Station where he paraded for his final tour of duty after 43 years in An Garda Síochána. In the 100-hundredyear history of An Garda Síochána, David most likely has the longest service record of any member of any rank. We wish David all the best in his retirement. The next speaker was Conor O’Reilly. He retired from An Garda Síochána at the rank of Inspector. Conor is now employed by
Overhaul, a worldwide company that specialise in supply chain risk management. They have their European H.Q. in Dundalk. After receiving this excellent presentation on cargo theft, it would change how any Police Officer would observe and interact with articulated trucks and their freight. This presentation is one that should be given to every police student at Garnerville and Templemore. The afternoon session commenced with a presentation on economic crime by Detective Sergeant Gareth Hussey from the Economic Crime Unit, PSNI. It was interesting to hear how investigators from this Unit can assist local policing in every kind of investigation from a missing person to terrorism. The day finished up with a presentation from Detective Constable Sam Kinkaid from the PSNI’s Cyber Crime Unit, who made a presentation on cyber-crime awareness. This was an event well worth attending. It was a great opportunity to meet colleagues from the PSNI. Well done to Deirdre Mahoney, IPA Region 2 Northern Ireland, and Marie Daly, Section Ireland, on organising this event. It is hoped to host a similar seminar in the Garda College in 2024.
Servo Per Amikeco Michael McGrath Region 3 DMR (NC)
THE HOMICIDE HUNTER
I
PA Members Lisa Courtney and Darren O’ Donovan from Waterford Region met a TV Legend recently when Retired Police Lieutenant Joe Kenda, formerly of Colorado Springs Police Department, visited the Southeast to trace his family roots. Joe served for 23 years in Colorado where he helped to solve almost 400 homicides. He is the main star of Homicide Hunter, an American crime documentary television series which aired on the Investigation Discovery (ID) television network for nine seasons, with a total 144 episodes aired to date. It was a twist of fate that led Joe to meeting colleagues here, Lisa’s Dad is a tour guide in New Ross and Wexford and was showing Joe the area. When he heard that his Guide’s daughter was a Garda he wanted to meet up with her so they all met up for dinner. They had a great night hearing all his stories from his time in the job - one of which was how he was investigating 6 murders in 3 days! Lisa and Darren presented Joe with IPA Ireland and Waterford Region Challenge Coins.
IPA DMR West Member meets colleagues in
SOUTH AFRICA
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n Sunday 20th August 2023, Hayden McGurk, an IPA Member from Region 8 DMR West was in South Africa and had the pleasure joining colleagues from IPA South Africa at Glen Afric Lodge near Hartbeespoordam in South Africa. The meeting was graced by the presence of Polie Poolman and Claude Malan, both representatives of the IPA South Africa Committee, as well as local IPA member Andy Grudko. Over cups of coffee, the ambiance was infused with discussions about the captivating world of police work at large. Their seamless camaraderie and shared dedication to their noble profession were palpable, setting a perfect tone for an enriching encounter.
Hayden McGurk at Orlando West Police Station with a South Africa Police Service colleague and Tshepo, a Soweto community worker
Beyond the borders of South Africa, Hayden’s presence in the country was part of a humanitarian volunteer mission. Immersed in the vibrant township of Soweto with a team of dedicated volunteers who gave their time to uplift a local school, leaving a mark of positivity. Additionally, Hayden visited the Orlando Police Station, further deepening his understanding and appreciation of policing in a different cultural context. Hayden’s journey took an exciting turn as he ventured into the picturesque landscapes of Glen Afric. Here, he wholeheartedly embraced the opportunity to channel his passion for animal conservation through dedicated volunteer work.
Photograph from far left: Andy Grudko, Polie Poolman, Claude Marlon and Hayden McGurk.
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Hayden McGurk, R8 DMR West IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
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The Aftermath Of The Titanic
The Aftermath Of The Titanic
by James
Healy BA, LLB, BL.
T
here were a total of 2,228 people on board when the Titanic struck the iceberg of which 705 survived the disaster. Percentage figures for the ratio of sur Titanic viving passengers indicates that those in the First Class area had twice the survival chances as opposed to those in Third Class. In First Class the surviving percentages were 100% of the children, 97% of the women and 33% of the men. In Second Class 100% of the children, 86% of the women and 8% of the men. In Third Class 34% of the children, 46% of the women and 16% of the men. A total of 119 women and children in Third Class perished, as opposed to 24 in Second Class and just 11 in First Class. Seventy three of the 113 Third Class passengers that embarked at Queenstown (now Cobh) were lost. Of the crew, 87% of the women survived with just 22% of the men. A total of 1,523 passengers and crew died when the ship sank, of which 815 were passengers and 708 were crew. Of the 18 lifeboats that were launched, a total of 729 seats were occupied, whereas there was capacity for 1,084 persons. Two of the lifeboats were overloaded by five persons each. Two further lifeboats were freed from the deckhouse but not launched. Owner and Crew Bruce Ismay, the Chairman of the White Star Line, was the most senior company officer to survive the tragedy. He had boarded Collapsible Lifeboat C and was rescued by RMS Carpathia. He was subsequently slaughtered by the British and American press for sailing without having a sufficient number of lifeboats for all the passengers on board, and most of all for surviving when so many women and children died in the freezing sea. He was never the same man again and resigned as chairman of the White Star Line in June 1913. Captain Edward John Smith had been 26 years with the Line and had transferred from the Titanic sister ship the Olympia to take this maiden voyage, which was to be his last before retiring. In the best traditions of a Captain, he was on board standing on the bridge when the ship sank and he drowned. Thomas Andrews, a native of Comber, Co. Down, and Managing
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Director of Harland and Wolff, and who was the ships main designer, estimated that the ship had two hours before sinking before himself drowning in the tragedy. Second Officer Charles Lightoller, who was in his bunk when the ship hit the iceberg, was in charge of loading portside lifeboats and saved many lives as the ship went down, but he managed to survive. Wireless operator Jack Phillips, at 25 the older of the two wireless operators, drowned but his younger colleague Harold Bride survived. Three of the six electricians were Irish, including Alfred Middleton from Sligo and William Kelly from Drumcondra, both drowned on their first voyage. Chief Engineer Joseph Bell, who coordinated the desperate attempt to keep the Titanic afloat for as long as possible, died. His junior assistant, Second Engineer Jonathan Shepherd, broke his leg as he attempted to set up pumps in an attempt to remove the water from the ship, and he drowned as the water rose around him. He was one of the first victims of the disaster. Another victim, Chief purser on the ship Hugh McElroy was from Tullycanna, Co. Wexford. His function was the company’s main interface with the passengers, taking their valuables for safe keeping and accepting messages for transmission to the mainland. Frederick Fleet was the man charged with keeping a lookout for icebergs and he first spotted the huge iceberg that came in collision with the ship. He survived, but in later life felt a terrible guilt that he had survived when so many on board lost their lives. He committed suicide in 1964. The ship’s baker Charles Jouglin drank two bottles of whiskey before jumping overboard. He floated for two hours in the freezing sea that killed most of the victims in less than fifteen minutes. He attributed his survival to his deliberately high blood alcohol level. Thomas Patrick Dillon, 24, was the only man that went down with the ship when it sank, came up again, was grabbed by one of the lifeboats and lived to tell the tale. His function on the ship was a trimmer who brought coal from the bunkers to the furnaces where it was fed by the stokers to keep the engines operating. He told one of the enquiries that he grabbed a bottle of brandy from the First Class saloon and drank it before he went down with the ship. He stated that “the air was filled with sharp, pitiful groans. I was unconscious for a long period of time and would rather die a hundred times than go through such an experience and live”. Eugene Daly, 29, a pipe player from Wolfe Tone Terrace, Athlone, played in the steerage on the night the ship hit the iceberg and when there were no lifeboats available he dived overboard and swam to a lifeboat that was overturned. He clung to it before being
saved. Before doing so, he witnessed an officer on the ship shooting two men that were trying to get on a lifeboat, before turning the gun on himself. Maggie Daly, a cousin of Eugene, was also saved. John Coffey, 23, from Cobh had signed on as a boiler room fireman for the ship and had a lucky escape. He boarded a smaller ship that was taking stacks of mail from the Titanic back to Cobh from where the ship was anchored further out in the sea, hid under them, and made good his escape back to his family when he came ashore. He later explained that he had a strange foreboding about the ship and a premonition that something tragic was going to happen on its maiden voyage. His story made worldwide headlines. The Passengers Some of the most prominent members of American and European social elite were on the Titanic’s maiden voyage. These included many multi-millionaires, the most wealthy of which was Colonel John Jacob Astor and his pregnant 18-year old wife Madeline. They were returning to the United States for the child’s birth. His fortune was estimated at around £30 million. He lost his life when he was hit by a falling funnel as the ship sank and was identified by his initials sewn on the label of his jacket. His wife Madeleine survived as did Margaret Browne who was accompanying them and later became known as “the Unsinkable Molly”. Other multi-millionaires who perished included industrialist Benjamin Guggenheim (£19million), Macy’s Department Store owner Isidor Straus and his wife Ida (£10million), Mr G.O. Widner (£19 million) and Colonel W. Roebling (£5 million). Also on board were Charles Pays, president of Canada’s Grand Trunk Railway, American silent film actress Dorothy Gibson, and US President
William Howard Taft’s military aide, Major Archibald Butt. The famous journalist WT Stead, credited with founding the tabloid press, also perished. The Second Class included the less wealthy and famous passengers such as clergymen, authors, professors and rich tourists. There were 13 couples on board who were celebrating their honeymoons. Of these only three couples, Mr and Mrs George Harder, Mr and Mrs John Snyder and Mr and Mrs Dickson Bishop survived with 10 of the men drowning leaving their brides grieving widows. Milivina Dean was just two months old and the youngest survivor that was on board the ship. Her mother and brother also survived but her father perished. Milivina died on 31st May 2009 the last survivor of the disaster. Irish Passengers The majority of the 120 passengers in Third Class who set out from Cobh were Irish immigrants hoping to make a new life in the United States. Of these 78 died and 42 survived, a survival rate of 35%. Fourteen people from the village of Lahardane, in the parish of Addergoole in North Mayo boarded the Titanic in Cobh hoping for a new life in America. Three women survived and eight women and three men were lost. Of the three women that survived, Ann Kate Kelly (20) later became a nun in Chicago and was affectionately known as “Sister Titanic” within her order. Delia McDermott (31) and Annie McGowan (17) both remained in the United States after the disaster, married and raised their families there. Mary Mangan 31 from Addergoole was already in the United States where she had gotten engaged. She had returned home to show her diamond ring to her elderly widowed mother, as well as her neighbours and friends. She did not survive and when her body was recovered
The air was filled with sharp, pitiful groans. I was unconscious for a long period of time and would rather die a hundred times than go through such an experience and live
IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
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The Aftermath Of The Titanic
the ring that was on her hand was missing and not returned to her family with her other property. Jim Flynn, Mary Canavan, Pat Canavan, Bridget Donohue and Catherine Bourke, who refused to get on a lifeboat when her husband John would not be allowed to accompany her, her sister-in-law Mary as well as Annie McGowan’s aunt were among the others that perished from this North Mayo community. There were also five people from the Galway village Caltra on board. The biggest loss suffered by any Irish family was that of Margaret Rice, who was originally from Athlone and her five sons Albert, George, Eric, Arthur and baby Eugene, aged between two and ten years. She had been recently widowed as her husband had been killed in a traffic accident in America. She had returned home to visit relations and tragically brought her return ate forward by a month from May to April. Nellie O’ Dwyer from Limerick who survived, witnessed the mother and family on board before the ship sank and reported that she heard one of the boys saying “the grandest prayers that one could hear from a child”. Bertha Mulvihill from Athlone who was also on board and survived, witnessed the Rice family before the ship sank with the mother holding the youngest boy in her arms and the other clutching her skirt before the end. Mrs Rice ‘s body was recovered and buried beside her husband in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but none of the bodies of the five children were ever recovered. Ellen Shine (20) from Newmarket in Cork, a Third Class passenger who was the last woman to leave the Titanic, died in New York in 1993 at the age of 101, the last remaining survivor of the disaster from Ireland. She was on her way to America to join her brother. Daniel Buckley from Ballydesmond in Cork, survived due to a woman in a lifeboat throwing a shawl over him which disguised him from officers segregating men from women who could board lifeboats. However having survived, further fortune was not on his side as he was killed by a sniper’s bullet in October, 1918, less than a month before the end of the First World War.Thomas O’Brien, from Pallsasgreen, Co. Limerick had eloped with a neighbouring woman Hannah Godfrey, who was four months pregnant. Thomas perished but Hannah escaped on a lifeboat and some five months later her daughter Marion was born in New York and became known as a ‘Titanic baby.’
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The Aftermath Of The Titanic
The Inquiries The United States Inquiry into the disaster was headed by Senator William A Smith and the British Board of Trade inquiry by Lord Mersey in which more than 25,000 questions were asked of 96 witnesses. Those called included the inventor of radio, Marconi and the Explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, regarding ice and icebergs. Bruce Ismay was called as well as Second Officer Lightoller, Captain Lord of the Californian, the ship’s owners, surviving members of the crew, and members of the British Board of Trade. The only passenger witnesses were Sir Cosmo and Lady Duff Gordon. None of the second or third class surviving passengers were called. Two male Irish survivors in the United States were very anxious to give evidence against crew members and when it transpired that they were unable to finance their way back to Britain, Lord Mersey was asked whether their evidence could be taken on commission. His reply was that ‘I think we are very unlikely to do that’. The final recommendations of the British Board of Trade Inquiry were ‘more water-tight compartments in ocean going ships, the provision of lifeboats for all on board, as well as a better lookout’. Discovery In 1985 a Franco-American team led by Dr Robert Ballard located the wreck of the Titanic at the bottom of the Atlantic ocean and photographed it. In 1986 he led a second expedition landing a submersible on the ship decks in which 57,000 photographs were taken of the wreck and debris field. The photographs showed that the wreck had slowly been eaten by bacteria that feast on steel, creating rusticles that contain never-beforeseen bacterium Halomonas Titanicae. These photographs also showed that the Crow’s Nest where Frederick Fleet first spotted the iceberg had disappeared, and that the Titanic rests at a depth of 3,800 meters with the bow and stern 600 meters apart and facing in opposite directions. Films Despite the film industry been in its infancy in 1912, within a month of the Titanic sinking the first Hollywood film entitled ‘Saved from the Titanic’ appeared. This was followed by a German film entitled ‘In Night and Ice’.
The first sound film was Ewald Andre Dupont’s 1929 film ‘Atlantic’ made in England. In 1943 another German film entitled ‘Titanic’ came on stream. There was a further Hollywood film also called ‘Titanic’ made in 1953.
one time, the same number as the ship itself. Postage stamps were issued by Britain, Ireland and Canada on the occasion of the centenary of the disaster in 2012. In 1987, the US Congress designated the wreck an International Memorial.
Perhaps the best film from an Irish perspective was the 1958 film entitled ‘A Night to Remember’, the first film to properly examine the rigid class system that operated aboard the ship and the comparative squalor of life in the third class quarters compared to the splendour and opulence on the upper decks. However the most famous film on the Titanic was James Cameron’s ‘Titanic’, made in 1997 with a budget of $200 million and which went on to gross almost $2 billion, the highest grossing film in box office history, only surpassed in 2009 by another film of his entitled ‘Avatar’. The film starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, and he had the benefit of the 1985 Discovery and the themes that incorporated the snobbery and inequity on board the ship, the arrogance of the ship’s captain and owners, and the stoicism with which passengers faced their deaths.
Expeditions In 1998, the first tourists began visiting the ship wreck site despite the fact that in 2004 Ballard stated such visits and treasure hunters were significantly damaging the site. In April 2012, a collection of 5,500 items recovered over seven expeditions from 1987 to 2004 were sold at an auction in New York.
Di Caprio in the film played the part of Dubliner Joseph Dawson, a trimmer on the ship. His body was recovered and buried in Fairfield Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia. After the release of the film, teenage girls began flocking to his grave where a stone proclaims only his body number 227 and ‘J Dawson’. The Titanic visitor’s Centre in Belfast can accommodate 3,547 visitors at the
Even after more than a century later, tragedy and the Titanic are still synonymous. As recently as June of this year an Oceangate expedition submersible with the company’s chief executive and founder Stockton Rush on board, and under the French submarine operator Paul-Henri Nargeolet, were taking British billionaire Hamish Harding and Pakistan businessman Shaahzada Dawoed to visit the site, when contact with the submersible was lost with their surface base. When no contact could be made after three days, it was found that due to pressure problems, that the submersible had sunk to the bottom of the ocean and all aboard had been lost –another sad episode to this ship which was deemed ‘The Unsinkable Ship’. IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
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Article Title
IPA National 5 a side
Soccer Competition
Winning Sligo Ladies Team
DMR South Central Mens Team
DMR South Central Ladies Team
West Cork Mens Team
Sligo Mens Team
Ballyshannon Mens Team
Store Street Ladies Team
Second Coolock Mens Team
Garda College Ladies Team
Winning Store Street Mens Team
First Coolock Mens Team
Milford Mens Team
The National IPA 5 a side Soccer Competition took place in the Mall, Longford, on Thursday the 19th October 2023. A total of nine (9) men’s teams and four (4) ladies teams took part on the day and the quality of soccer played by all was exemplary. After some titanic struggles, the ladies competition was won by Sligo, who beat a gallant Store Street team in the final. In the men’s competition, the eventual winners were Store Street who beat Cavan/Monaghan 4-3 in the final. Both Store Street and Cavan/Monaghan, and Sligo ladies will represent IPA Ireland in Majorca in May 2024. A total of 595 euro was donated on the day by all the teams for our charity the Laura Fund. Thank you to all the participants and to Colette Conlon for all her help in organising the event. Thanks to our Chairman Gerry Tiernan and NEC member willie Maye for all their help. Our President Conor O’ Higgins addressed all after the finals followed by a meal in Longford Rugby Club.
Serve per Amikeco Donal Sweeney Social Secretary/Clubs Officer
Cavan/Monaghan Mens Team
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IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
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IPA Finland’s Trip to Dublin
IPA FINLAND’S TRIP TO DUBLIN
In the evening we had booked a Teeling Distillery visit which actually was the first Distillery visit for most of us. I would recommend everyone to visit Teeling Distillery. They provide professional guiding and to top it off you get to taste the great whiskey they make. We ended up the day by eating a fabulous dinner at the Market Bar Restaurant (well actually some of us still went partying after the dinner).
IPA section Finland’s region Uusimaas board members decided in the early days of this year that we wanted to offer a trip abroad for our members. After quick discussion it was clear that the trip would be to Ireland. We contacted IPA section Ireland and with their help we booked the whole IPA House Dublin for us for three days in August.
We also sent a travel form to IPA Ireland and with that we got in contact with IPA Ireland’s vice president Declan O’Byrne. Declan asked us what we wanted to see in Dublin and then created for us a very nice looking program for the three days. Friday 25th of August was finally the day we travelled to Dublin. We easilly got to the IPA House in Dublin with Declan’s clear instructions. Declan even met us at the bus stop near the house. After getting to the house and having a little welcome chat we headed off to Dublin city. Declan had arranged a guided tour for us in Kilmainham Gaol, the prison musuem. The tour offered us a really good insight into the history of Ireland and the history of the prison. A very fascinating tour!
You think we had seen all by now? No way. We still got to see police vehicles in front of the traffic police section and ended up in Dublin police headquarters’ wet canteen. We could never imagine to have a bar at our police station so everyone was amazed. We had a ”few” good pints at the bar and suddenly ended up doing a singalong with local colleagues (would never happen in Finland). And the singalong wasn’t enough. We even got to hear that there was a farewell party for one retiring Irish colleague, Charlie. We wished Charlie happy retirement and sang a song together. A very emotional moment we are never forgetting!
After the tour we headed for lunch and finally had our first Irish beers. We then proceeded to Dublin Castle where we again got a guided tour (thanks to Declan). Again a very good insight into the history of Ireland and what a wonderful castle it was (even though we didn’t get the chance to try the throne).
On Saturday morning we got to visit the Garda museum (which was actually closed but somehow Declan got it open for us). Again a good history lesson and a lot of new information about the Garda. After the visit to the Garda museum we had time to explore the city by ourselves, do some shopping and of course grab some Guinness.
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For Sunday Declan had booked a cruise to Howth for us. Declan had also invited Irish IPA members with us and actually we were surprised how many members joined the trip. It was nice to spend the trip with local IPA members. Time flies by when you are having fun and so before we noticed, we had arrived to Howth. Luckily Declan had arranged lunch for us in the Skybar at Howth so we still had time to chat with local members. After lunch, IPA Ireland member
Shane kindly offered us a chance to visit Pearse Street Garda Station. Shane did a fantastic job telling us about the station and police work in Dublin. Of course we left a Finnish Police patch at the station, see if you can find it next time you visit the Pearse Street Garda Station. Shane kindly took us also to a local pub for a few drinks before we needed to head back to the IPA house for a last nights gathering with all the Finns to sum up the wonderful trip. We would like to once again express our sincere thanks to Declan and IPA Ireland for making our trip an unforgettable one. We will never forget the help we got and we are welcoming you to Finland as our guests. Servo per amikeco Mikko Jokinen IPA Finland First vicepresident
IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
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IPA MEMBERSHIP OPENS THE DOORS TO A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES BEING A MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL POLICE ASSOCIATION HAS MANY BENEFITS, BUT PERHAPS THE MOST REWARDING IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL AND MEET WITH COLLEAGUES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. SOME OF OUR MEMBERS MAY KNOW JOE FANNING FROM HIS TIME IN THE GARDA COLLEGE, HE HAS KINDLY SHARED SOME GREAT PICTURES WITH US, CERTAINLY DEPICTING WHAT IPA IS ALL ABOUT, SERVICE THROUGH FRIENDSHIP.
Above: Parliamentary Reception Wellington NZ. Garda Joe Fanning and Constable Jaques Le Gros at the IPA reception in the Beehive Friday 17th October 1986. Jaques was the New Zealand Police Officer who arrested the French agents who blew up the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrier which killed Pete Willcox in Auckland Harbour on Wednesday 7th July 1985
Fort Flenville, Adelaide, South Australia. Garda Joe Fanning Ireland and Inspector Hugh Stewart Royal Hong Kong Police with a military volunteer on Friday 10th October 1986
Downing Street. Garda Joe Fanning Ireland and Sergeant Ian Ferguson both IPA members in Downing St after Trooping the Colour on Saturday 16th June 1990
Royal Courts of Justice Belfast.
National Police Memorial Day Belfast. Prince Charles and Joe Fanning meet up again after the National Police Memorial Day Service where they chatted about their mutual friend Jim McDonald who had a major sugery. The prince said to Joe “Jim has recovered well from his operation, I told him to drink more Bushmills” Photographed by Pete Anderson on Sunday September 2014
Left: Maoiri greeting in Wellington. Joe Fanning receiving a traditional Maori welcome by rubbing noses on Friday 17th October 1986 Below: International Police Association Adelaide South Australia. Jack Jacobs, Darlene Turner and her sister Denise, Lee Harvey and Joe Fanning on Sunday 5th October 1986
Sgt Joe Holness, founder of National Police Memorial Day, Dame Mary Peters, Olympic Gold Medalist, Joe Fanning and Sharon Holness at the Chief Constable’s Reception hosted by Matt Baggot on the eve of the National Police Memorial Day. Photographed by Pete Anderson on Saturday 27th September 2014
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IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
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Beara Ways
Beara Ways
bearing the
Beara Ways A
t just under 200km, the Beara Way forms a challenging multi-day walk through some of the finest countryside, coastline and uplands that this remote corner of the southwest has to offer. Not for the faint hearted, many sections will have you exhausted long before you reach the days objective simply because of the arduous terrain and the fact that many of the peaks, towns and villages take on an almost ethereal quality and seem to float on the horizon without ever drawing any closer. The section from Ardrigole to Castletownbere in particular will have you pulling your hair out as the track seems to have a life of its own by revealing the town in the distance on the straight sections then quickly pulling you towards Hungry Hill when you think that progress is being made. Naismith’s Rule of allowing 12 minutes for every kilometre walked on flat ground plus an additional 1 minute for every 10 metres of height gained, can be thrown out the window because much of the terrain is so challenging. The waymarking along the route will also test your resolve because many signposts show the Beara Way, the Beara-Breifne Way, the Beara Cycling Route and the Beara Loops. The Beara-Breifne Way, for anyone with a fetish for the outdoors, sore feet and masochism, runs from Dunboy Castle outside Castletownbere eastwards to Glengarriff before turning inland to Kealkil and north for 400km to Breifne in Co. Leitrim. It generally follows the line of the famous 17th century epic march of Donal Cam O’Sullivan Beare, the last great chieftain of West Cork,
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who left Beara on New Years Eve 1602 with 1,000 men, women and children hoping to join forces with rebel leaders in Ulster. After 14 days and several battles he reached Leitrim Castle, stronghold of the rebel O’Rourke of Breifne. Of the 1,000 who had started out, only 35 remained. It is well worth while spending some time getting familiar with OS Discovery maps 84 and 85 in advance to plan where to leave cars or to identify pick up/drop off points on the road sections if using taxis. It is also advisable, if using taxis, to book them a day or two in advance. Public transport on the peninsula can be irregular so planning the logistics of start and finish points for each day along with accommodation can feel a bit like you’re organising Rommel’s campaign for North Africa as you pore over maps. Having said that, you will definitely be a lot more confident with a map and compass by the time you have completed the route in its entirety.
Parkrun is one of the most scenic in the country. While ambling along one of the islands’ many boreens, we were passed by an ancient VW Golf held together by rust with ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ hand painted in white emulsion along both sides!. Back on terra firma, the route undulates westwards to Allihies, famous for its copper mines, before arriving at the cable car which will convey you across Dursey sound to the routes second island, Dursey.
The next leg to Ardgroom is quite long but the reward is that, once over Knockour, it never strays too far from the sea. On a pet day with the sun warming our backs we saw several types of butterfly on the moorland including common blues, ringlets, meadow browns and tortoiseshells along with red admirals in the laneways. Near the old coastguard station at Ballycrovane we also saw lizards sunning themselves on a wall and brown hawker dragonflies the size of your fist.
As the route leaves Glengarriff and enters the wooded Magannagan Valley, keep a look out for the ghost tractor in the trees on your right hand side. Further along where the track leaves the broad leafed forestry and enters the conifer plantations you are entering the domain of the elusive pine martin. The pull up to the shoulder of Sugarloaf can be taxing and care is needed if fog draws in because there are a multitude of path junctions on this section. The area is rich in standing stones and megalithic wedge tombs. The Mare’s Tail waterfall, supposedly the highest in Ireland, is the next feature to look out for before the aforementioned endless slog to Castletownbere begins. Allow a day or two for the Bere Island circuit and, if you are feeling light footed, the Bere Island IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
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Cashelkeelty stone circle is well worth the short diversion before the route drops to Tuosist. A second equally impressive stone circle with a central gallan is passed on the next leg at Uragh. As the day warmed up, we had wheatears accompanying us for much of the day. The size of a blackbird but brown with a white breast, these summer visitors favour our uplands. On reaching the pass before Dromoghty lake a ewe was making an awful racket off to our right. Closer inspection revealed her lamb had fallen into a mucky bog hole with only its head above water. After much huffing, puffing, and yanking on my part the two were reacquainted and gambled off without so much as a bye your leave!. We took a well-earned rest day in Kenmare before tackling the last leg on the old road to Glengarriff. Used until the 1820s when the new ‘tunnel’ road was built, it now has grass growing up the centre with virtually no traffic. The section around Castle Rock was stunning. The views from the pass between Esk mountain and Barraboy mountain over Bantry Bay and Whiddy Island felt like a parting gift before the route descended to the main road and journeys end at Glengarriff. The Beara Way by Dermot Somers contains route notes and maps for he entire route. OS maps 84 and 85 should, however, also be used as a backup.
The views from the pass between Esk mountain and Barraboy mountain over Bantry Bay and Whiddy Island felt like a parting gift 28 IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
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GIMBORN SEMINARS - APPLICATIONS INVITED
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Home Address
FOR OFFICIAL USE - REGIONAL COMMITTEE
FOR THE ATTENTION OF CARLO GRIFFIN SECRETARY GENERAL SECTION IRELAND BY 30/11/2023. - secretarygeneralipaireland@gmail.com
APPLICATIONS INVITED
IPA IRELAND SPONSORING 20 MEMBERS TO ATTTEND PROFESSIONAL COURSES AT GIMBORN CASTLE, GERMANY IPA IRELAND WILL AGAIN PROVIDE REAL AND MEANINGFUL SUPPORT FOR OUR MEMBERS WISHING TO ATTEND A PROFESSIONAL SEMINAR IN GIMBORN, GERMANY DURING 2024, THROUGH OUR SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMME FOR TWENTY (20) MEMBERS, SELECTED BY OPEN DRAW FROM APPLICATIONS RECEIVED BY REGIONAL SECRETARIES BY 30TH NOVEMBER 2023. PLEASE SEND A COMPLETED APPLICATION FORM, RULES ACCEPTANCE AND GDPR CONSENT FORM TO YOUR LOCAL REGIONAL SECRETARY, MARKED GIMBORN SEMINARS 2024. (SEE BELOW AND OVERLEAF)
This is to certify that the above named applicant is a member of IPA Region____________ And that he/she has been selected for sponsorship to participate in the above named Seminar in Gimborn.
Garda Station
Garda Reg. No.
Telephone Home
Rules for International Police Association sponsored seminars by Section Ireland for 2024:
Secretary Region No.
Date
Work Mobile E-mail Address:
COMPLETED APPLICATION FORMS MUST BE SUBMITTED by Applicant marked “Gimborn Seminars” Regional secretaries by 30th November 2023
IPA IRELAND – GDPR PERSONAL DATA CONSENT FORM IPA Ireland is a Data Controller under the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003, as well as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The personal data supplied
Home Address:
Business” as defined within the IPA Data Protection Policy, a full copy of which is will store your personal data physically and electronically, in compliance with the above regulations. Security measures and leading IT technologies and encryption standards will be applied to ensure the safety of your personal data. Should you wish to update or access your personal data, you should write to us requesting an Access Request Form. If you wish to have your personal data deleted, such request can be made on Consent Withdrawal Form. Please note, these forms are available
Signed
I hereby consent to my data being collected, stored, processed and used in accordance with the IPA Data Protection Policy. Name
Dated
Reg. No.
Date Received
D.O.B.
Ref.
30 IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
Home:
Marital Status:
on the Member’s area of our website, www.ipaireland.ie/login.php .
Irish airport » All applicants are booked into a twin shared bedroom. Single supplement MUST be paid by applicant to Gimborn
Well Being (1st-5th July 2024) » (b) 10 Places for English language Seminars as per poster
Email Phone Mobile:
» Must arrange and pay for own flights to and from Cologne » Must arrange and pay for travel to and from
» Free places 2024 are only for » (a) 10 places for Irish seminar 47/24 Workplace
consensually to the IPA by its members is required for the purposes of the “IPA available on our website. We encourage you to download and read it. IPA Ireland
» Must be member of IPA for at least one year » ONE APPLICATION PER IPA MEMBER!!!! » Must not have been a recipient of a scholarship to Gimborn in last 5 years » Must have own travel insurance and E1.11 form
» Must obey all IPA rules and local rules in Gimborn www.ibz_gimborn » Must notify ipairish@gmail.com 30 days before seminar if you cannot attend, otherwise you will be charged the cost of the conference .
I have read the rules above and agree to comply.
OFFICE USE Date Recorded
SIGNED___________________________________
Seminar Number
Description of Course
Date: from - to
24|04
Tactical First Aid
05.02. - 06.02.
24|07
Women and girls as victims of violence, trafficking and exploitation
04.03. - 08.03.
24|08
Design Against Crime – Design Out Crime
11.03. - 15.03.
24|15
Tactical First Aid – Advanced
02.05. - 03.05.
24|24
Serve and Protect – Female Police Officers’ Defensive Tactics Instructors Course E
10.06. - 14.06.
24|26
The maintanance of public order E
24.06. - 28.06.
24|47
Workplace Wellbeing
01.07. - 05.07.
24|27
Police Street Survival Training E
15.07. - 19.07.
24|28
Tactical First Aid – Advanced
19.08. - 20.08.
24|32
Police dealing with people in mental crises
09.09. - 3.09.
24|36
The use of drones by front line services police special E
20.09. - 04.10.
24|39
ASP Instructor Course
26.10. – 28.10.
24|45
Terrorism online D/E
0 2.12.- 06.12.
24|46
Planning for Mass Fatalities and Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) E
0 9.12.- 13.12.
APPLICATION FORM AND GDPR CONSENT FORM OVERLEAF IPA Journal | Autumn 2023
31
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