‘We won the battle’: Widow of slain Limerick garda Jerry McCabe speaks on 30th anniversary of his killing
Top Limerick garda says murder of Jerry McCabe remains an active investigation
THE widow of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe has said her husband’s killers are “no longer part of my life” and she has “dealt with them”.
Ann McCabe was speaking on the 30th anniversary of the killing in Adare, which shocked the nation.
Detective Garda McCabe was on duty alongside his colleague Ben O'Sullivan when the postal delivery van they were escorting stopped. Their unmarked patrol car was rammed from behind by a jeep before gunmen in another vehicle opened fire.
Detective Garda McCabe was fatally wounded in the attack, while Detective O'Sullivan suffered serious injuries following the attack of June 7, 1996.
To mark exactly three decades since the horrific incident, the family of the popular detective gathered at Holy Rosary Church at Ennis Road on Limerick’s northside.
Speaking afterwards, Ms McCabe said despite the passage of time, the grief is “forever”.
"My life stood still on June 7th," Mrs McCabe said. "We as a family, we got through it. It's hard to believe that it's been 30 years since Jerry was murdered in the beautiful town of Adare. But grief is not just for now, it is forever with you.”
Four members of the Provisional IRA were charged with manslaughter in relation to the killing in 1999.
Ms McCabe said she no longer thinks about these men.
“They're no longer part of my life. I've dealt with them. We fought a bit of a battle with them alright. We shoudn't have had to do that, but politics cvame into it sadly. But we won the battle. Hard as it was to try and deal with it, but we did it as best we could.”
After the anniversary Mass, garda chief superintendent Derek Smart said the murder remains a fully active investigation.
He said that the reach of modern law enforcement is growing and is confident any suspects will eventually face justice.