# Another Dublin Shooting



## Inspector (Nov 13, 2006)

Those of you who have followed some of the news out of Ireland concerning paramilitary problems and drug gangs must scratch your heads over the fact many, if not most, Garda members still do not want to carry sidearms.
Here is another example of the family feuding that exists in cities like Dublin, and Limerick that has led to assassinations over the last few decades. Note the restraint the Gardai used in the past raid. Despite shotgun blasts at the raiding officers from the targeted individual, the Gardai still did not fire.

Man shot dead at Finglas pub - The Irish Times - Sat, Oct 10, 2009


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## Boston Irish Lass (Feb 13, 2009)

I can somewhat understand the mentality of them not wanting to be armed. Sure the threat would be there, but as more and more weapons enter the country, more of them will find their way to the streets. 

We both know they obviously already are, but with none of the comfort zone, pardon the phrasing, that I fear would become commonplace. The mentality of the common man would change as well. It's an almost impossible door to close once it's opened.

While it's based on pure speculation, I fear the type of people that would now reconsider becoming Gardai would change the make up as well.


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## OfficerObie59 (Sep 14, 2007)

BIL, curious, how fo you think the population would receive an armed Gardai? Also, any indication on how Kathy O'Toole is runnin the show over there?


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## Boston Irish Lass (Feb 13, 2009)

Initially? I don't see it as a problem.

An accidental shooting here, there, and all of a sudden - not so good. If you take into consideration the mentality of a person willing to be an unarmed officer vs the mentality of one who prefers the gun I think you'd find it different over.

The use of a gun here is widely accepted. Its intention varies from hunting, LE, target shooting, self defense, lifestyle and so on.

A policeman and two sappers were murdered there earlier this year and it made *headlines* everywhere. That says it all.

Left out the bit on Kat O'Toole. Haven't heard a peep actually other than her meeting fierce resistance to an Amber Alert of sorts. The problem with a position like hers, restructuring a corrupt policing system, is not one that will ever make much news.


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## Beal Feirste (Jul 28, 2009)

* In my opinion having an armed police force to me personally is neither here nor there. Living in Northern Ireland having an armed force is the norm even to the extent of officers carrying out their duties not only wearing sidearms but also quite normally automatic weapons.

I think that an officer who is armed quite naturally goes through his/her shift, dealing with any call out differently to if he/she was unarmed. Whether consciously or sub consciously the weapon that is available would alter anyone's thought process when handling any scenario.

Then of course that also alters the mindset of the criminals who knowing that they will be dealing with armed officers is going to automatically tool up themselves. So over night the whole policing issue changes. *


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## GARDA (Dec 30, 2003)

Inspector said:


> Those of you who have followed some of the news out of Ireland concerning paramilitary problems and drug gangs must scratch your heads over the fact many, if not most, Garda members still do not want to carry sidearms.
> Here is another example of the family feuding that exists in cities like Dublin, and Limerick that has led to assassinations over the last few decades. Note the restraint the Gardai used in the past raid. Despite shotgun blasts at the raiding officers from the targeted individual, the Gardai still did not fire.
> 
> Man shot dead at Finglas pub - The Irish Times - Sat, Oct 10, 2009


Inspector, the Finglas pub shooting appears to be recent and separate from the Gardai shooting from 1998 which the Times mentions? However, the subject (Thomas) was recently killed as a result of that 1998 incident. (aka: Live by the sword, die by the sword).

Of note, the Gardai raid on that flat back in '98, whether 'announced early' or not: "*Knock* _vs._ *a no knock warrant*", will usually keep the 'bad guys' from shooting the 'good guys'... as opposed to that defense's hope of claiming it was a self defense _vs_. bad guy shoot (per the Times article).

In other words, it is not reasonably believable that 'the Reilly faction had come-a-knockin', as long as loud verbalization had been made at the time the E.S.U. and armed Gardai made their hard entry into the place, (usually standard operating procedure on all tactical units) i.e.: "*GARDAI WITH A WARRANT!"*, etc...

When it comes to a nationally armed Gardai in my opinion...
I've always thought that the mind was the best weapon. 
However... Samuel Colt may have said it best about guns: "They are the great equalizer of men"... as sad as that may be to most of us.

Hey Lass, love the new profile pic. Sniper at work/NO RUC, South Armagh is it?


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## Boston Irish Lass (Feb 13, 2009)

GARDA said:


> Inspector, the Finglas pub shooting appears to be recent and separate from the Gardai shooting from 1998 which the Times mentions? However, the subject (Thomas) was recently killed as a result of that 1998 incident. (aka: Live by the sword, die by the sword).


Yes - the timing is off but I've no desire for another storm in clarifying it 



GARDA said:


> Hey Lass, love the new profile pic. Sniper at work/NO RUC, South Armagh is it?


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## 7costanza (Aug 29, 2006)

I kind of miss the Delta vs Boston Irish Lass debates.


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## Boston Irish Lass (Feb 13, 2009)

OfficerObie59 said:


> BIL, curious, how fo you think the population would receive an armed Gardai? ?


Out of my own curiosity how do you think it would go over, going from them unarmed in the free states to the armed? Does anyone think there would be a mentality change in the policing?



7costanza said:


> I kind of miss the Delta vs Boston Irish Lass debates.


Me too :innocent:


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