Every time retired Garda sergeant John Hynes passes the spot where his friend Colm Horkan was shot dead, he says: “I stop and bless myself”.
And every time he drives up Patrick Street in Castlerea, Co Roscommon towards the junction with main street, he flinches as he approaches the place where Detective Garda Horkan was shot 11 times with his own gun.
“It’s constantly on your mind, what he went through, especially after what came out at the trial about his injuries”, said Mr Hynes, who caught the train to Dublin to attend Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, just as he attended both trials for several days.
There’s a plaque marking the spot where Colm Horkan was murdered, not that people from the community need a reminder about the events of June 17th, 2020.
Stephen Silver: The full story of his trial for the murder of Garda Colm Horkan
‘So many lives were affected’: Locals recall ‘true gentleman’ Colm Horkan and reflect on impact of his murder
‘I miss him terribly,’ Garda Colm Horkan’s father says as Stephen Silver sentenced to life for his murder
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For some people in Castlerea, Co Roscommon, Wednesday was a day of mixed emotions, yet another reminder of now abruptly the universally liked Garda had lost his life, but also a day when many were thinking of the two families caught up the catastrophic encounter between Stephen Silver and the detective.
Retired postman Danny Burke knew Colm Horkan well, their relationship based on their shared love of the GAA and the “banter” between the one time Roscommon selector and the fanatic Mayo supporter. “Colm was a true gentleman. He was very well liked as a Garda who carried out his duties in a professional but caring manner,” said the former county councillor.
Fr John McManus who administered the last rites to Det Horkan also hopes that the finalisation of the court proceedings will give “some sort of closure” to his family, Garda colleagues and the people of the town.
“What happened to Colm brought a strong sense of solidarity that has continued since,” said Fr McManus. “I think it has strengthened the bond between the community and the gardaí. I was in and out of the barracks over those few days and it was like any West of Ireland funeral with all the cards and trays of sandwiches that went in there. People were desperate to do something to help”.
I had the great, good luck not just to come across Colm but to have him as my friend.
— Retired garda sergeant John Hynes
Two women from Castlerea who initially declined to make any comment said that knowing members of the Silver family, while they felt as devastated as everybody for the Horkan family, they believed it was a complex situation.
“My understanding is that he (Silver) was quite ill,” said one woman. “I would say it is difficult for both families to make sense of all this. But I don’t think it helps to be judgmental. Nothing in life is that simple”.
She said it was “not a popular position” to feel sympathy for the Silver family but she did and was thinking of his mother and sister, and his nieces and nephews who must be struggling to understand.
Retired sergeant John Hynes, who had worked with Garda Horkan through the investigation of a series of difficult rape and sexual assault cases, regarded him as “one of a kind”.
“He was one of those people you may be lucky enough to come across once in a lifetime. I had the great, good luck not just to come across Colm but to have him as my friend, one of my three best friends. He was like an uncle to my three children. Two of them are away and they will be ringing me tonight just to talk about what happened today.
“These are scars that will live on”.
Meanwhile, in Garda Colm Horkan’s hometown of Charlestown, Co Mayo, his extended family recalled fond memories of his life and the impact that he had on the community.
Kitty Walsh’s eyes welled with tears as she recalled her loving godson and nephew.
“He was such a lovely lad, God bless him. He never forgot a family birthday”.
The 92-year-old said: “It was a terrible episode but now the sentencing has brought a sense of closure.”
“It’s a shame, you know, that mental illness is flung on the side, not catered for. There are so many people suffering from it in different ways. There isn’t enough of a response. That’s the sad part of it”.
Since his untimely and brutal death, the feeling in Charlestown towards Colm Horkan, a stalwart member of the local Charlestown Sarsfields GAA Club, has been one of enduring respect and affection.
Many members of the local community travelled to Dublin regularly in solidarity with the Horkan family during the early trial and subsequent retrial.
One of them, Gerry Murray, a member of Mayo County Council, said on Wednesday: “The reaction locally is one of relief that the family have got some kind of closure.
“In those circumstances you never quite get closure but this phase of what has been a long and protracted saga is over. But some scars will remain. We can’t get over the enormity of what happened”.
Councillor Murray said the local community is now firmly focused on raising whatever funds remains to be collected for a permanent memorial – the Colm Horkan Memorial Pitch and Walkway.
Welcoming the 40 years (lifetime) prison sentence for Silver, Stephen Healy, a close friend of Colm Horkan’s and an official of the local GAA club, said that he expects a huge turnout for the third annual Colm Horkan Run next month May 28th. It is expected that the new pitch will open in June.
“It will be a huge asset to future generations”, Mr Healy predicted. “That will be Colm’s legacy to the town and the community”.