Plaque honouring dead Gardai unveiled in Kells

A plaque in memory of three former Kells Garda officers who died while still serving with the force was unveiled at Kells Garda Station last week. The late John Rawle, John Morrissey and Martin Coen were honoured at the unveiling which was carried out by Assistant Garda Commissioner Dermot Jennings in the presence of Supt Pat Collins, Kells, the families and extended families of the Gardai and a large assembly of their colleagues. Members of the three families travelled from all over the country for last Thursday's ceremony, which included a Mass celebrated by Fr John Byrne, PP, Kells. The granite plaque which lists the names of the three men is located in the public foyer of the Garda station. Garda John Rawle, a native of Longford, was in his early 40s when he died in a traffic accident on 7th December 1995. He had been serving in Oldcastle at the time of his death, but had served in Kells for a long number of years prior to that. Garda John Morrissey died suddenly on 9th November 2004 when he was in his late 40s. He was serving in Kells at the time. Clare man, Garda Martin Coen, was only in his 20s when he was killed in a traffic accident on 15th April 2006 on the N3. He, too, was serving in Kells at the time of his death.