Michael Noel Canavan (born 1958) 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 ...

(21578C) 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

Canavan was a native of

Tuam Tuam ( ; ga, Tuaim , meaning 'mound' or 'burial-place') is a town in Ireland and the second-largest settlement in County Galway. It is west of the midlands of Ireland, about north of Galway city. Humans have lived in the area since the Bron ...

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 joined the Irish police force in 1978. He was awarded the Scott Medal in recognition of his valour in the arrest of Sean "Bap" Hughes of the

Irish National Liberation Army The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA, ga, Arm Saoirse Náisiúnta na hÉireann) is an Irish republican socialist paramilitary group formed on 10 December 1974, during the 30-year period of conflict known as "the Troubles". The group seek ...

(INLA), on 16 May 1997.

Incident at Foxford

Canavan was off duty when he observed a man acting suspiciously enter the

Bank of Ireland Bank of Ireland Group plc ( ga, Banc na hÉireann) is a commercial bank operation in Ireland and one of the traditional Big Four Irish banks. Historically the premier banking organisation in Ireland, the Bank occupies a unique position in Iris ...

, following which there was a shotgun blast, after which bank customers fled the building. Pausing only to open a pub door asking the owner to call the garda, Canavan turned back to find the robber running towards a parked car, where he caught him. The robber threatened the life of Canavan, reached into his pocket but was grabbed at the wrist. During the violent struggle the robber entered the car, and grabbing a shotgun on the back seat, aimed it at Canavan, who pushed the barrel upwards and eventually subdued the suspect. It was later determined that the robber did indeed have a pistol in his pocket and a live round in the shotgun. The robber was identified as Sean "Bap" Hughes of the INLA, who was wanted in connection with the disappearance of

Seamus Ruddy The Disappeared are people believed to have been abducted, murdered and secretly buried in Northern Ireland, the large majority of which occurred during the Troubles. The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains (ICLVR) is in ...

near

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in 1985, and the murder of Garda Patrick Gerard Reynolds in

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

in 1982. Hughes was acquitted on the charge of murder but imprisoned on the charge of robbery.

Minister of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a v ...

, John O'Donoghue, awarded Canavan 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 23 July 2003.

References

* ''An Garda Síochána and the Scott Medal'', p. 179, 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. * http://www.rte.ie/tv/gardaarlar/09prog3.html * http://www.irishecho.com/search/searchstory.cfm?id=6542&issueid=131 * http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/705850.stm {{DEFAULTSORT:Canavan, Michael Noel 1958 births Living people Garda Síochána officers People from Tuam Recipients of the Scott Medal Police officers from County Galway

Background

Incident at Foxford

See also

References