A BANTRY garda has been presented with a Scott Medal Commendation of First Class for his bravery and courage in helping to tackle an armed gunman in Limerick.
Sgt James Hourihane, now stationed in Kilrush in Co Clare, was commended, along with his colleagues Sgt Derek Deloughrey and Gda David Slattery at a ceremony in the Clayton Hotel in Cork city last week.
Seven gardaí were awarded medals for their bravery and while responding to incidents in the southern region.
‘The bravery shown by these gardaí whose unwavering dedication and commitment to protect and serve the people of Ireland has seen them go above and beyond the call of duty,’ said assistant commissioner Eileen Foster.
‘These courageous individuals have risked life while working in dangerous and fraught conditions to protect the people of this country.’
Sgt Hourihane, along with his two colleagues, risked their lives disarming and detainment of a man brandishing a shotgun in daylight in Limerick city on May 9th 2015. The man was armed with a 12-gauge-single barrelled sawn-off shotgun and was roaming the city centre on a bike, looking to shoot people. He had already shot at one person.
It emerged that Sgt Hourihane had been driving in his own private care at Condell Road when he saw the suspect and then called for armed support back up.
A man appeared at Limerick Circuit Court in 2016 over this incident where he received prison sentence.
