Garda PJ Morrissey remembered 40 years after he was gunned down on service
Two men had ambushed the manager at the town's Labour Exchange and stolen £25,000 in cash. Sgt Morrissey pursued the raiders on foot and was wounded by gunshot by one of the robbers, Michael McHugh.
The thug then approached the unarmed sergeant and shot him in the head. Victim and support group South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF) have created a quilt made up of panels illustrating the memories of families of victims of terrorism across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
Forty years after Sgt Morrissey's tragic death, his panel on the quilt aims to remember the hero he was but also who he was outside of his job. The art piece shows the garda, who was from Belturbet, Co Cavan, as a diver wearing fins in the water and surrounded by musical notes, to illustrate his interests. The quilt aims to remember Sgt Patrick Morrissey as the hero he was but also who he was outside of his job.
PJ is fondly remembered by his wife Bernie and their four children Martin, Brian, Mary and Aideen. In a statement, his family said: 'We knew him as a giant of kindness and strength and someone who belonged strongly in fairness and in giving people chances to rectify their lives, he believed strongly in the power of humanity and common decency.
'His former colleagues in the Garda Sub Aqua Unit, in Collon Garda station and the other stations where he was posted and in the Garda Choir have paid many heartfelt tributes throughout the years since 1985 - they most certainly have never forgotten him, nor us as a family.
'Our family wish to thank all who have shown so much support and kindness in the last 40 years.' A memorial mass will be held for Sgt Morrissey at the Church of The Immaculate Conception in Belturbet on Sunday, June 28, at 7pm.
SEFF Director Kenny Donaldson said 40 years ago the murder of PJ 'shocked and appalled many people'. He added: 'Despite what they have been subjected to, the Morrissey family have sought to live their lives in a manner bringing honour to his memory. They represent the values of fairness, respect and commitment to service which PJ's life reflected.
"We are honoured to be supporting the family and engaging with the people of Belturbet in marking the 40th Anniversary since his passing. PJ is remembered on our memorial quilt, Terrorism knows No Borders which remembered innocents who perished in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
"The Morrissey's are widely respected across The SEFF Family and our prayers will be with them through these difficult days as yet another milestone anniversary is marked.'
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Sunday World
2 days ago
- Sunday World
Photo of Kinahan bagman goes viral after he is wrongly identified as IDF general
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Irish Independent
02-07-2025
- Irish Independent
Louth Gardai pay tribute to their late colleague Sergeant Paddy Morrissey
The popular officer who lived in Drogheda was stationed in Collon at the time. A new bench in honour of his memory was unveiled recently after a remembrance ceremony. Sergeant Morrissey was shot dead following a robbery at the Labour Exchange in Ardee, Co Louth, June 27, 1985. He bravely pursued the armed robbers, Martin McHugh and Noel Callan, both members of the renegade INLA, Irish National Liberation Army, and was killed as he chased them in a field. The two Armagh men were found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of his capital murder and sentenced to death. This was later commuted by the Government to 40 years penal servitude. Both killers were released from prison within days of each other after serving 30 years in 2015. They got their sentence reduced by 25pc - 10 years - for good behaviour. In a post on Facebook Louth Gardai said: "Today we remember Sergeant Morrissey and the ultimate sacrifice he and his family made while he served and protected the community of Co Louth. "Sergeant Morrissey was posthumously awarded the Gold Scott Medal for bravery in 1986. Rest in peace." The hero Garda was 49 years old at the time and unarmed when he confronted the brutal cowardly gunmen. He left behind his beloved wife Bernie and four children, Martin, Brian, Mary and Aideen. who were then aged between 12 to 19 years old. In a statement to mark the 40 anniversary of his death the Morrissey family said: "We knew him as a giant of kindness and strength, and someone who believed strongly in fairness and in giving people chances to rectify lives - he believed strongly in the power of humanity and common decency. "His former colleagues in the Garda Sub Aqua Unit, in Collon Garda Station and the other stations where he was posted, and in the Garda Choir have posted many heartfelt tributes throughout the years since 1985 - they most certainly have never forgotten him nor us as a family. "Tomorrow marks the 40 year anniversary in remembering PJ who was ultimately a guardian of the peace, a guardian of the community, a family man, and a good friend to so many. "He was perhaps most at home in his garden, or on the River Erne or River Boyne, diving, fishing or swimming in the water.. "In the past 40 years that have passed he has been remembered with profound loss by our family, and with high regard and warmth by friends and former colleagues. "Our family wishes to thank all who have shown so much support and kindness in the last 40 years." Paddy Morrissey was originally from Belturbet, Co Cavan.
RTÉ News
27-06-2025
- RTÉ News
'Giant of kindness' - anniversary for garda shot dead 40 years ago
A number of events are taking place to remember a garda who was shot dead by armed robbers in Co Louth, 40 years ago today. Sergeant Patrick 'PJ' Morrissey was shot dead in the line of duty while responding to a robbery at the labour exchange in Ardee on 27 June 1985. He was 49 years old and married with four children. In 1986, he was posthumously awarded the Scott Gold Medal for bravery. In a statement released to mark the 40th anniversary of his death, his family said Sergeant Morrissey will never be forgotten. "We knew him as a giant of kindness and strength and someone who belonged strongly in fairness and in giving people chances to rectify their lives," his family said. "He believed strongly in the power of humanity and common decency." The statement said Sergeant Morrissey's former colleagues in the Garda Sub Aqua Unit and in Collon garda station and the other stations where he was posted alongside those in the Garda Choir "have paid many hearts felt tributes throughout the years since 1985 - they most certainly have never forgotten him, nor us as a family". A remembrance ceremony was recently held in Collon while a specially crafted bench in memory of the late garda sergeant was also unveiled. An anniversary mass will be held in his home town of Belturbet, Co Cavan, tomorrow and will be attended by his widow, Bernie, and their children Martin, Brian, Mary and Aideen. Victim and survivor support group SEFF has sewn quilts made up of different panels illustrating the memories of families of victims of terrorism across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain. The group has said the panel on the quilt dedicated to Sergeant Morrissey aims to remember him as a hero but also who he was outside of his job. The panel depicts the late garda as a diver wearing fins in the water and surrounded by musical notes to illustrate his interests in life. In a statement, SEFF Director Kenny Donaldson said forty years ago Sergeant Morrissey was "stolen away from his family by subversives", adding that "the murder of PJ shocked and appalled many people". "Despite what they have been subjected to, the Morrissey family have sought to live their lives in a manner bringing honour to his memory. They represent the values of fairness, respect and commitment to service which PJ's life reflected," he added. Some of the quilts that the group has created will be exhibited at Belturbet Heritage Railway Museum on Saturday evening following the mass in memory of Sergeant Morrissey.
