Image source: RIP.ie
Tributes have been paid to a retired member of An Garda Siochana, who had served in Killarney for many years, following his death at the weekend.
Michael (Mick) Long who passed away at his home on Sunday, in the care of his family, is remembered as a great community Garda and a thorough gentleman who had a wonderful way with people and was considered a great person to work with by his colleagues.
A native of Feenagh, Co Limerick, he was initially stationed in Farranfore but spent most of his long career working in the detective branch in Killarney where he lived for over 50 years.
A great pitch and putt player, who dedicated so much time to the sport, he was a long-time member of the Gleneagle Club and an enthusiastic support of the Deerpark Club where a message of condolence has been passed on to his family.
His next door neighbour in Woodlawn and long-time Garda colleague, Cathal Walshe, served with Mick in Farranfore in the mid-1960s before they were both transferred to Killarney were they enjoyed long and distinguished careers.
“Mick was an absolute gentleman and we worked and lived side by side without a single cross word ever being exchanged between us,” Cathal told KillarneyToday.com.
“He always put people first and in his policing work he remained cool, calm and collected at all times,” he added.
Cathal also remembered Mick as a great artist who had a real talent for sketching cartoons.
“He was gifted with a pen in his hand and he could have a cartoon drawn of you in a few minutes while you were sitting there chatting to him,” Cathal recalled.
He remembered one artistic undertaking that Mick volunteered to do was to create a map, not to scale, of the entire Farranfore sub-district while he was stationed in the village, outlining every townland and roadway in the area.
“That became a valuable reference guide for any new Garda arriving in Farranfore, If they needed to find out where such a place was all they had to do was consult Mick’s map on the wall above the fireplace,” Cathal said.
Mick is survived by his wife, Betty, son Tom, daughter Louise, daughter-in-law Carol, son-in-law Michael Slattery, grandchildren Eva, David and Erika, brother Eamonn, sister Joan O’Connell, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews, relatives, many friends and his former work colleagues in An Garda Síochana.
After reposing at O’Shea’s Funeral Home, Killarney on Tuesday evening, cremation took place this Wednesday at the Island Crematorium, Cork.
