40th anniversary of County Roscommon Garda’s murder
The late Detective Garda Frank Hand
Last weekend saw the 40th anniversary of the death in the line of duty of County Roscommon man, Detective Garda Frank Hand, who was murdered in Drumree, County Meath.
On the morning of 10th August 1984, Detective Garda Hand and a colleague, Detective Garda Michael Dowd, were on duty in an unmarked patrol car acting as armed escort to a post office mail van. As both vehicles pulled up outside Drumree Post Office, to make a delivery, they were confronted by an armed unit of the Provisional IRA. There was an exchange of gunfire between the raiders and the Gardaí, injuring Detective Gardaí Hand and Dowd. Detective Garda Hand’s injuries proved fatal.
Frank Hand was born on 29th August, 1957. He came from Ardmullen, Curraghboy, Athlone, County Roscommon. He joined An Garda Síochána on 20th July, 1977. On completion of his training he was allocated to Donnybrook Garda Station, Dublin and was appointed to the Central Detective Unit (CDU) in 1982.
He got married to Breda, also a garda, just five weeks before his death. He is survived by his wife Breda and one daughter who was born after his death.
He was posthumously awarded the Scott Gold Medal on 4th December, 1986. In a piece by the Meath Chronicle, Assistant Garda Commissioner Tony Hickey recalled how Detective Hand, who was almost 27 when he died, had been instrumental in the arrest of murderer Malcolm MacArthur in August 1982.
Twenty years after his death, Detective Hand was remembered with a plaque unveiling at Dunshaughlin Garda Station, where family and former colleagues came together to commemorate him.
A special Anniversary mass took place in County Roscommon for Detective Garda Hand.
Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh based SEFF places an annual tribute to Frank on their social media pages and it has also created a memorial patch in collaboration with The Hand family which is included on a memorial quilt; Terrorism knows NO Borders. This memorial quilt remembers innocents of 'The Troubles' from across the community and throughout Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and Great Britain.
