Final farewell to hero Garda

Gardaí close in on killer Paul Neilan The body of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe will today be laid to rest at a State funeral in Dundalk, Co Louth. Tributes for the 41-year-old father-of-two have been flooding in since his brutal murder on Friday, when a gang ambushed the Kilnaleck man and his partner at a credit union in Lordship, just a mile from his home. Garda sources say that investigators are looking at the possibility that the hero Garda knew his attackers, which prompted them to open fire on him without warning, as he went to check on their car, before he could identify them. Gda Donohoe suffered a single shotgun blast to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene - something Garda sources say could be termed "an execution-style killing". His attackers are thought to number five and were lying in wait in a grey VW Passat at the scene as a cash transaction was being handled by two staff at Lordship Credit Union at Bellurgan, Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth at 9.40pm on the night of January 25. His partner, Det Gda Joe Ryan, was held up at gunpoint as the gang proceeded with their robbery, making off with just €4,000 from terrified staff. Det Gda Ryan is now reportedly back on duty and involved in the 100-strong Garda hunt for the gang. It is further thought that the gang of five may have had a female getaway driver. The car, stolen from Clogherhead, Co Louth, was later found burned out in south Armagh, prompting speculation that a cross-border gang were involved. The PSNI's forensic team are examining the vehicle. However, dissident republicans are not thought to be responsible because they would be carrying "more serious" weapons than a shotgun. Well-placed sources say that gardaí are closing in on identifying the gang which operate in the south Armagh-Louth region and who know the Border region well. The gang are believed to be responsible for a spree of robberies and have recently "ran amok" in Cavan, Monaghan, Louth and Meath. Immediately after the shooting, gardaí in Coolock, Cavan, Louth, Monaghan and Meath were making inquiries about the whereabouts of their top suspects. It has been reported that the gang lured Gda Donohoe into a lethal trap and had been hiding behind walls but it is unlikely that the gang lay in wait specifically for Det Gda Donohoe, however, as he was only on duty due to a last-minute roster change. Gardaí have yet to rule out that the same gang that murdered Det Garda Donohoe were those responsible for a similar raid at the same credit union 17 months ago. In that raid, two sawn-off shotguns were used by two raiders who escaped with €62,000 in cash and cheques. That raid also occurred shortly before 10pm on a Friday night and a stolen black Audi was found burned out just across the Border. Thousands are expected to turn up to the funeral today - alongside An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and President Michael D Higgins - as a mark of respect for Gda Donohoe, his devastated wife, children and family in Kilnaleck, around whom the community has rallied. Books of condolences have been opened in Dundalk Garda Station and Dublin's Mansion House, and in St Patrick's College, Cavan, where he went to school, Crosserlough GFC, where he played at minor and under 21 level and at St Patrick's GFC, in Lordship, where he coached children, and at Cavan County Council. Gardaí are appealing for any information on the murder and can be contacted at 042-9388400. For a two-page special, including tributes, please see today's Anglo-Celt newspaper.