FUNCTION FOR SUPT. TOM O’CONNOR, NEWCASTLE WEST GARDA DISTRICT ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM AN GARDA SIOCHANA

Front row: John Browne, Detective Supt. Jim Ryan, Supt. Tom O’Connor, Tom Connolly and Fr. Tom Crawford P.P. Glin. Back row: Supt. Eamon O’Neill, Pat Whelan, Inspector Ronan McDonagh, Pat Keating, Joe Heaney, Tom Dee, Sgt. Denis Woods, Garda Tina Shanahan, Garda Jason Mitchell and Garda Billy McElligott. — Retirement Party for SuperintendenTom O Connor Newcastle West — Photo by George Daly

An overflowing crowd of locals, serving and retired Garda colleagues who came from Limerick, Cork and Kerry, public representatives, and a wide range of people from throughout West Limerick packed into Barrett’s Lounge, in Glin to bid farewell to retiring Superintendent Tom O’Connor on Friday night last. The party was organised locally by his friends and family.   Many tributes were paid to Tom on the night. Tom Connolly, his lifelong friend, was M.C. and introduced John Anthony Culhane of Glin Development Association. John presented Tom with a framed historical tribute to the people of Glin Fishing community in bygone days. Local Councillor John Sheahan thanked Tom for his regular contact with Council officials during his time in the District. Detective Superintendent Jim Ryan of Henry Street Garda Station, who represented the Superintendents Association, also made a presentation to Tom. Sergeant Denis Woods from Newcastle West Garda District, representing the Sergeants and Inspectors Association, also made a presentation to him  The last speaker on the night was Niall Collins T.D. who paid  tribute to the great police work of Superintendent Tom while stationed in Limerick City and County and wished him well on his retirement. Finally Marie Woods presented Tom’s wife Imelda with a bouquet of flowers. A wonderful night of traditional music followed with local musicians, Sergeant Diarmuid O’Brien, Pa Foley, Matthew Reidy and retired Garda John Brown and they were joined by renowned accordion player, retired Detective Garda Pat Keating from Carrigaholt, Co. Clare who was a colleague of Tom’s  in Limerick city.  Lovely food was laid on by the Barrett family, and certainly, Tom got a great send off on the night.
Tom was born in the townland of Ballinagoul, Glin in 1958.   He was educated at Ballygoughlan National School, and later at Glin National School.  He completed his education at De La Salle, Waterford. On completion of his Leaving Cert he went to work in Burlington Cloth factory in Tralee with his neighbour Tom Connolly, who is also a native of Ballinagoul, Glin. Both Toms joined An Garda Siochana in 1977 and both served together in Scotstown, Co. Monaghan, Henry Street, Limerick, and finished their careers in Newcastle West.
Tom O’Connor transferred to Henry Street, Limerick as a detective Garda. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1995, and worked at Roxboro Road Station where he was promoted to Detective Sergeant.  Tom was promoted to Inspector in 2008 and went to work at Tallaght Garda Station in Dublin for a short period before returning to Roxboro Road, where he worked in Serious Crime as Detective Inspector until his promotion to Superintendent in 2012.
Tom was then transferred to Roscommon Town where he served for two years until 2014, when he transferred to head his home district of Newcastle West  as District Officer until his retirement on 30th September, 2017. During Tom’s 40 years in An Garda Síochána, he was kind, courteous and helpful to everybody. He loved his job and treated it with the utmost respect. Tom was also a great man to socialise, and mixed well with young and old.   He loved his native Glin and was instrumental in getting Glin Garda Station re-opened to which the people say a big thank you Tom.
We wish Tom, his wife Imelda, and his family, every good fortune, health, and happiness for many years to come and have no doubt Tom will be seen in Glin for many an occasion.
The O’Connor name is to be continued in An Garda Síochána as Tom’s son, Thomas
Junior was attested to An Garda Siochana on 22nd September, 2017, and he will be stationed at Kevin Street, Dublin. It was fitting that Superintendent Tom’s last official function was attending his son’s passing out parade in Templemore.