Archival RTÉ footage marks 40th anniversary of Athlone Garda's murder

A poignant milestone was marked on the RTÉ Archives website this week as it shared news footage of the removal of a detective from Athlone who was killed in the line of duty 40 years ago.

Detective Garda Frank Hand was fatally shot during a Provisional IRA raid on a post office van delivering social welfare and pension money to a post office in Drumree, county Meath, on August 10, 1984.

Detective Garda Hand was a native of Ardmullen, near Curraghboy in Co Roscommon, and one of seven children born to Michael and Teresa Hand.

Educated at Curraghboy NS and St Aloysius College, Athlone, he was stationed at Donnybrook Garda station, before moving to Irishtown Garda stations, in Dublin, where he worked as a detective.

The RTÉ Archives footage shows his removal from Navan before the cortege travelled to Ballybay Church, Kiltoom.

The removal was attended by Government Ministers including Minister for Justice Michael Noonan and Tánaiste Dick Spring. Also present were the Garda Commissioner Laurence Wren and the Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gerry O’Sullivan.

You can watch the RTÉ archival footage HERE.

* For more on the anniversary of Detective Garda Hand's killing, see this week's Westmeath Independent.