State funeral for garda tony golden on thursday

A STATE funeral for Garda Tony Golden is set to take place on Thursday.

He was shot dead as he attended the scene of a domestic incident in Omeath, Co Louth on Sunday.

The woman he was helping is still critically ill in hospital after being shot a number of times, while the 24-year-old gunman Adrian Crevan Mackin died at the scene.

Garda Golden, a native of Culleens, Killala Road, Ballina, has been hailed by the Garda Commissioner as a hero, and his colleagues will gather for a private prayer service in his memory at Dundalk Garda station today.

The force’s Chaplain Fr. Joe Kennedy has been trying to offer words of comfort to Garda Golden’s widow Nicola, who will be attending the service.

'Just to say to you - we’ll be there with you over the coming days, and we’ll celebrate Tony’s life and the good man that he was, the great Garda that he was, and most of all the great family man that he was, blessed with three beautiful children,' he said.