Journalist and garda are remembered

A MASS to commemorate murder victims Veronica Guerin and Det Garda Jerry McCabe will be celebrated in Dublin this morning.

A MASS to commemorate murder victims Veronica Guerin and Det Garda Jerry McCabe will be celebrated in Dublin this morning.

The Mass takes place at 11a.m. at Mount Argus Church in Harold's Cross. The chaplain to the Garda, Father Hilarion Cleary, will officiate and the attendance will include the Garda Commissioner, Mr Pat Byrne.

Ms Guerin's husband, Mr Graham Turley, and their son Cathal will also be present, as will Garda McCabe's family and his former colleague, Det Garda Ben O'Sullivan.

Yesterday was the first anniversary of the murder of Ms Guerin, crime reporter with the Sunday Independent, as she sat in her car at traffic lights on the Naas Road.

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Det Garda McCabe was shot dead three weeks earlier during a robbery in Adare, Co Limerick. Det Garda O'Sullivan was injured in the same incident.

The Mass will be attended by the Lord Mayors of Dublin and Limerick, Alderman Brendan Lynch and Alderman Kieran O'Hanlon.

Ms Guerin's murder was commemorated yesterday afternoon at a public meeting outside Leinster House. The organiser of the commemoration, Ms Bernie Keogh from Crumlin, said the aim was to show the incoming Government that the public still felt strongly about the killing. She said she wanted the new Government to "keep up the good work against the drug barons."

The group of about 20 people carried flowers and placards. They placed a book of condolences at the gate of Leinster House, and among the 60 or so signatures collected during the hour long commemoration was that of Senator David Norris.

One of the group, Ms Mary Ryan from Templeogue, said she was pleased the legislation setting up the Criminal Assets Bureau was found to be constitutional by the High Court earlier yesterday. But she still believed that the laws were not stringent enough and that criminals were afforded too much protection.

Since Ms Guerin's murder, an intensive Garda investigation has led to the breakup of the gang believed responsible.