Hero garda hangs up his hat after serving Limerick for nearly 30 years

A HERO garda who saved a woman from drowning and was on the front line during the feud between notorious criminal gangs in Limerick city has retired.

The former detective and sergeant, Cathal O’Neill stepped down last week after serving the city and county of Limerick for the majority of his career.

He was involved in the investigation of some of the most high-profile cases during the feud. Mr O’Neill said he will never forget the murders of Brian Fitzgerald, Shane Geoghegan and Roy Collins.

“They were completely innocent men. They were bad times for the people of Limerick but it was the people of Limerick who stood up and fought alongside us. We would never have defeated the gangs without the ordinary decent people. They had our backs and between us the gangs were put out of action,” said Mr O’Neill.

The native of Cork city admits he headed to Templemore as a young man more by accident than design but he is glad he did.

His first posting was to the Border region in Clones, County Monaghan in 1993. After two and a half years, he requested a move closer to home and was transferred to Henry Street in 1996.

Mr O’Neill was promoted to detective in the crime office in 2004, tasked with investigating murders and shootings.

“They were tough times but I always remember Munster’s Heineken Cup win in 2006 and the crowds of people on O’Connell Street. That day was like a breath of fresh air.”

Mr O’Neill was promoted to sergeant in Roxboro in 2010.

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“It was a different decade and we were going in the right direction. Regeneration was up and running and town was coming back to normal,” said Mr O’Neill, who is married to Mairead - they have two daughters - Roisin and Cliodhna.

After nine years as a duty sergeant in Roxboro and supervising young gardai he applied for a transfer to the county to spend more time out and about and meeting locals. The position of sergeant in Croom came up and he jumped at it.

“It is a lovely, quiet, little village. Everyone out there was the finest but Covid happened. I was hardly out there six or eight months and that reduced the opportunities to meet local people and attend community meetings.”

Mr O’Neill more than made his mark though. Around midnight on August 31, 2019 he was on duty at Croom garda station when he was alerted that a person was in distress in the River Maigue.

The sergeant entered the water and dragged her to the bank and safety. Mr O’Neill received a Seiko “Just In Time” award for his efforts from Water Safety Ireland.

Mr O’Neill also received accolades at a well-attended retirement party on Friday by current and retired gardai, which is a testament to his popularity, and now plans on spending more time with his family before deciding what is next.

He doesn’t wish to dwell on the river rescue and is just glad the woman was OK.

Instead, Mr O’Neill highlights a princess and superheroes event as part of Bike Week in Croom Town Park.

The picture of him presenting the best dressed award to a girl is in stark contrast to the one of him uncovered by Liam Burke, of Press 22, outside court with a semi-automatic rifle.

The two photos tell the story of his garda career and are a microcosm of how much Limerick has changed.