Corrigan knew RUC chief well, says witness

A FORMER garda sergeant named as having been involved in collusion with the Provisional IRA was on first-name terms with the then RUC chief constable Sir John Herman, the Smithwick Tribunal heard yesterday.

When Sir John collected his son from Dublin airport during the Troubles, he always requested a Garda escort to the Border, retired detective garda Terry Hynes told the tribunal yesterday. It was through that process that he got to know Det Sgt Owen Corrigan.

In 2000, Mr Corrigan was named in the House of Commons by Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson as having tipped off the IRA about the whereabouts of two RUC officers who were later shot dead. On Tuesday, Mr Corrigan said such an allegation was contrary to everything he believed in.

The tribunal is investigating the possibility of Garda collusion in the deaths of Chief Supt Harry Breen and Supt Bob Buchanan, the two most senior RUC officers to die in the Troubles. They were shot dead in an IRA ambush in south Armagh on March 20th, 1989, shortly after leaving Dundalk Garda station.

Mr Hynes, who spent his career in Border Garda stations, said Sir John trusted Dundalk gardaí to protect him. He also said unescorted visits across the Border to Garda stations by Chief Supt Breen and Supt Buchanan were highly dangerous and had they taken a Garda escort, “we would not be here today”.

Mr Hynes told the tribunal he had received the Scott medal for bravery after apprehending a republican suspect with a loaded Kalashnikov. The tip-off came from Mr Corrigan who was on duty at the time. He said Mr Corrigan was “vigorous in his prosecution of the IRA” at all times.

Retired detective inspector Tadhg Foley, who was based in Monaghan, said he did not know Mr Corrigan personally but he had heard he had the reputation of being “chancey”. When asked what he meant, he said Mr Corrigan used a pencil to stab more holes in the centre of his firing range target to achieve a higher score.

The tribunal was also told that gardaí had been told there was a mole in Dundalk station. Retired sergeant Jim Gannon said he was based in Dromad station on the Border in 1978 when four armed and masked men came to the house of Kevin McGeough, who fled.

Mr McGeough told gardaí later there was a mole in Dundalk, but said no more; he emigrated to Australia the next day. Mr Gannon said he did nothing about the claim and did not believe it, but it stuck in his head. The tribunal continues.