16-05-2025
Donal Fallon: The Dublin Metropolitan Police's chequered history, from lassoing an escaped bull to lethal beatings
The city's police force, which merged with An Garda Síochána 100 years ago, was celebrated for its bravery, but its image was tarnished by its violent approach in the 1913 Lockout
This weekend puts a new festival on the calendar in Ireland. The Kilkenny Law Festival will look at subjects ranging from the dismantling of literary censorship to Ireland's evolving libel laws.
On Saturday, I will be in conversation with Superintendent Paul Maher, a historian of An Garda Síochána, marking the centenary of the force's merger with the Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP). The law, of course, is enforced by the police as much as the courts.
