John M.G. Cosgrove,

Garda Síochána (; meaning "the Guardian(s) of the Peace"), more commonly referred to as the Gardaí (; "Guardians") or "the Guards", is the national police service of Ireland. The service is headed by the Garda Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Gover ...

17458H and recipient of the

Scott Medal The Walter Scott Medal for Valor is a medal awarded for acts of bravery by the Garda Síochána. It is not a state award, being in the gift of the Garda Commissioner. History The Garda medal was instituted at the behest of Colonel Walter Scott, ...

, born 1949. Cosgrove is a native of

Clifden Clifden (, meaning "stepping stones") is a coastal town in County Galway, Ireland, in the region of Connemara, located on the Owenglin River where it flows into Clifden Bay. As the largest town in the region, it is often referred to as "the Cap ...

County Galway "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_caption = Location in Ireland , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = ...

. He became a member of the Gardaí on 25 June 1969.

Incident at Mallow Road

On attachment to Cork's Mallow Road Station on plainclothes duty, Cosgrove approached two youths acting suspiciously, who ran off. While in pursuit, Cosgrove seized one of the youths only to see the other come back pointing a

revolver A revolver (also called a wheel gun) is a repeating handgun that has at least one barrel and uses a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold up to six roun ...

, demanding he set free his friend.

''"Cosgrove maintained his grip on his prisoner, but suddenly the boy dropped onto one knee exposing the Guard to the line of fire. The armed youth then fired at point blank range hitting Cosgrove in the right shoulder. The two then made good their escape but were later apprehended. Garda Cosgrove, left for dead by the youths, later had the bullet removed, the surgery necessitating some seventeen stiches."''

In a ceremony attended by several members of the government, he was awarded the Scott Medal at

Templemore Templemore () is a town in County Tipperary, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Eliogarty. It is part of the parish of Templemore, Clonmore and Killea in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly. The 2011 Censu ...

on 2 October 1975.

References

* ''An Garda Síochána and the Scott Medal'', p. 105, Gerard O'Brien,

Four Courts Press Four Courts Press is an independent Irish academic publishing house, with its office at Malpas Street, Dublin 8, Ireland. Founded in 1970 by Michael Adams, who died in February 2009, its early publications were primarily theological, notably t ...

, 2008. {{DEFAULTSORT:Cosgrove, John M.G. People from Clifden Garda Síochána officers Living people 1949 births Recipients of the Scott Medal Police officers from County Galway

Incident at Mallow Road

See also

References