Joseph Scott (4 March 1901 – 20 August 1962) was an Irish policeman with

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 ...

and a 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, ...

Background

Scott was born at Leavhive,

Creggs Creggs ( ga, Na Creaga, the rocks) is a small village in County Galway (just on the border with County Roscommon, Ireland, on the R362 regional road between Glenamaddy and Roscommon. With a population of approximately one hundred people, th ...

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 = ...

, and was a farmer before joining the

on 1 April 1922, making him one of the first members of the force. His number was 679.

Incident at Manorhamilton

While stationed at

Manorhamilton Manorhamilton () is the second-largest town in County Leitrim, Ireland. It is located on the N16 from Sligo and from Enniskillen. History Before the Plantations of Ireland, the settlement was known, and continues to be known in the Iris ...

County Leitrim County Leitrim ( ; gle, Contae Liatroma) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Connacht and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the ...

on 22 September 1935, he was one of a Gardaí rescue party in search of a girl who had fallen into a

chasm In geology, a rift is a linear zone where the lithosphere is being pulled apart and is an example of extensional tectonics. Typical rift features are a central linear downfaulted depression, called a graben, or more commonly a half-graben w ...

in the Glencar Caves. According to Gerald O'Brien:

''"The actual depth of the chasm was unknown, though the Gardai were aware of local beliefs that it was considerable and that it might contain noxious gases. Aware that each wasted moment might mean the girl's life, Sergeant Scott immediately had himself lowered into the chasm .... some ninety feet before he reached the bottom ... he made the sad discovery of the girl's dead body in a pool of water. Remaining at the bottom in pitch darkness and crouched in almost three feet of water, he tied the rope to the body and had it brought to the surface. By the time this had been accomplished and the rope returned to him, some 2.5. hours had elapsed ... When he finally emerged again in the open air he was in urgent need of treatment for a catalogue of severe bruises, abraisions and cuts."''

Scott was awarded the Scott Bronze Medal by

Commissioner A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something). In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to in ...

Eamonn Broy on 8 November 1937. He continued his career in the Sligo/Leitrim Division dying in harness on 20 August 1962 having served 40 years and 129 days.

References

* ''An Garda Síochána and the Scott Medal'', 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:Scott (garda), Joseph Police officers from County Galway Garda Síochána officers Recipients of the Scott Medal 1901 births 1962 deaths

Background

Incident at Manorhamilton

See also

References