Monday 10 April 2017

HONORARY CHIEF INSPECTOR





Honorary garda who became the much loved station ‘boss’

Mickey Edmonds had a rare disability but knew all about forms which baffled management, writes Jim Cusack


FOR over 40 years, gardai in Kevin Street Garda Station in Dublin cared for a mentally disabled man, Mickey Edmonds. From childhood, he had hung around the gates of the station and was eventually brought inside if it was cold or raining.



There was no State remedial care available, so it was provided by gardai. They tried to teach him to read and write but he had no comprehension of letters, never mind, words.
Mickey was one of the fortunate disabled children in Ireland in the 1960s in that he had both a loving home and an extraordinary garda station where he was also loved and looked after. He was eventually diagnosed with the syndrome, Fragile X. He died in October 2011 aged 53.
In his final years, gardai cared for him with a tenderness that was touching to witness. Dozens of them were in tears at his funeral.
Mickey’s presence in Kevin Street was against regulations but he was such a part of the station community that it became unthinkable that he would be thrown out. Remarkably, he learned by sight every single official Garda form and adapted so much to his surroundings that he took on the persona of a garda, even to the extent of speaking in a mid-Western accent and describing a car as a ‘veh-hehicle’.
Young gardai found Mickey indispensable as he knew far more about forms and procedure than they did and often saved them embarrassment in front of their seniors. The Kevin Street units gave him honorary titles right up to ‘chief inspector’ when he reached his 40s. They bought him a new suit every year and he looked the part, even slight- ly resembling Tom Hanks. During breaks in the often intense work in Kevin Street, young gardai took him out in the car, telling him if anyone asked, he was the ‘detective superintendent’. Mickey actually assumed and perfectly emulated the authoritarian head of detectives, PJ Browne, which amused the young gardai even more.
Kevin Street gardai are part of the community and make an enormous effort every year to raise money for charities that do particular good work in their district. Last year’s charity cycle by their ‘Tour de Force’ team was in Romania and was launched at the Ballsbridge Embassy with full ceremony by Ambassador Manuela Breazu. The Romanian police helped guide the garda entourage through the Carpathian Mountains.
It’s a human compulsion to help the needy and much of that sense fed into the station’s soul, if that’s not putting it too highly. They dedicate their charitable work, all done on their own time and at their own expense, to the memory of a member of their family.
It’s a small-town story in a big city, just that it is surrounded by higher levels of crime, addiction and poverty.
Even though Mickey had major mental deficiencies, he had excellent visual discernment and knew by heart what forms went with which sets of circumstances just by looking at them. Two he learnt early on were the crime recording ones, C1 and C2, which are in frequent use in a ‘high crime’ area like the south inner city. The C1 recorded that a crime was committed; the C2 contained the detection and court outcome.
Many of the stations at the centre of the faked breath test results are in rural backwaters where there were previously very low levels of crime. Kevin Street has the highest serious crime rate in the country but it also has the highest, honest clear-up rates, possibly in part to a desire not to dishonour Mickey’s memory.
‘Kevin Street gave him titles right up to chief inspector’

PAT SAYS:

I found this story of a disabled man adopted by a whole police station very touching.

We are used to hearing about police stations as centres of brutality and places where the worst in human nature is dealt with.

But here is a story of tremendous humanity breaking through. 

Mickey needed to be adopted and loved.

The Gardai responded and found themselves in love too - and indeed humanised by the humanity and vulnerability that was Mickey.

It is a reminder to us all that in a very cruel world there are still little miracles of love happening.

Its like a flower blooming in a crack in ugly concrete. 



As a human being this story gives me hope.

As a Christian it reminds me that the Holy Spirit of God is still alive in many hearts and indeed can turn hearts of stone into fleshy hearts of love.

37 comments:

  1. Pat, You're going soft in your old age. I was looking forward to my daily dose of hateful invective from you and instead I get a touchy feely item from the papers. Most disappointing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What an amazing story. Just shows Everyone has value. We need to think outside the box as Jesus did. Good Easter Story. I might use it on one of the Easter Sundays. Resurrection is for now

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I used the story at Palm Sunday Mass yesterday.

      Delete
    2. Mass, you use the RRC Mass? Make your bloody mind up fool.

      Delete
    3. I am free to use any liturgy my people and I wish to.

      Its called freedom :-)

      Delete
    4. Indeed you are Pat. So many can't see the wood for the 🌲 s

      Delete
  3. Nice to hear a pleasant, uplifting story - for a change!
    Pip

    ReplyDelete
  4. Pat the warrior.

    Pat the inspirer.

    Two sides to the same coin.

    Trish. Ballymena.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I believe they are looking for his replacement. You should apply Buckley, you fit the profile.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 11:19 submitted another comment which was unsuitable for publication as it was grossly insulting to the disabled.

      Sadly I think it was from a cleric who is not happy about the exposures on this Blog.

      Delete
    2. The only thing exposed on this blog is your hatred for all things Catholic.

      Delete
    3. I LOVE all things authentically catholic.

      I abhor all things fake catholic.

      Delete
  6. I thought this was the willy blog

    ReplyDelete
  7. Gorgeous has been accepted for Ordination this summer

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Another timewaster trying to grab on to a headline that has no substance or credibility.

      Delete
    2. Very often in seminaries lists are posted near Easter announcing ordinations for that year?

      Delete
    3. Irish college voting staff

      Delete
    4. 11:51 and 12:04 is clearly the same poster trying to cause trouble.

      Are you obsessed, a troll or a bully?

      Delete
  8. That should be a great day out for us all
    Making my posters of the grinder posts as we speak.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lol he must have got the cure then in New York
    Well if that isn't the funniest information on Holy Week inal

    ReplyDelete
  10. If it was anonymous, how do u know it was made by same poster
    Or did u remove half his/ her post
    Just askin

    ReplyDelete
  11. He will be known as fr grinder for sure

    ReplyDelete
  12. MENU - ORDINATION MEAL:

    Maynooth Faggots in Pink Peppercorn Sauce

    Barcelona Crabs Bisque

    Crushed Pansey and Daffy Sorbet

    Dublin Coddle Dermo with Fudge Packed Potato Pillows and Baby Wilted Mollies.

    Baby Fairy Donuts with Chutney Ferret and Flit Ice cream.

    Selection of Kerry Cheeses with King Puck Chutney.

    Selection of Teas and Coffees

    Petit Fours of Brownie Kings and Brownie Pipers.

    WINES:

    White: Chateau de la Semien.

    Red: Barolo Strano

    ReplyDelete
  13. These gardaí showed the love Jesus urged at the Last Supper (John's Gospel) and the love Paul hymns in 1 Cor 13. It was driven not by canonical obligation, nor by self-interest, but by itself. Drawn out initially by the vulnerability of Mickey, it was sustained by its own joy, satisfaction and delight in his company. This is genuine love; this is God made manifest in the most humble of human circumstance.

    No wonder others were 'touched' by its witness, for such love inspires others to goodness.

    This is the love that transforms human hearts.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Did it not cross your mind, Magna Carta, that you could learn some element of sympathy from the Gardai?
    They at least did show some consideration to Mickey - less mentally endowed than themselves!
    You seem to have no such consideration. Clearly, you lavish mockery and scorn upon everyone - pointing out your massive superiority over everyone. Please, Magna, learn something from the Gardai, and if you could do so FORTHWITH, it would be very much appreciated by the multitudes of your inferiors.
    Always wanted to use that word (forthwith) - always liked it!!!
    What might a new you turn out to be?

    ReplyDelete
  15. 22:17, actually, in this context, it's garda, not gardaí.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Just wish whoever is always posting about Magna would shut the f*** up
    Thought you had left

    ReplyDelete
  17. A great read Pat, God rest him.

    ReplyDelete
  18. 22.50 You are Magna so shut your noise.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 22:50
      The same thing crossed my mind -
      It this blogger is not Magna - it might be his Momma'

      Delete