Tributes have been paid following the death of an off-duty Garda in a single-vehicle crash in County Clare on Sunday evening.
Garda Sergeant Andrew O’Riordan was a passenger in a car that collided with an oak tree on the R466 near the village of Broadford shortly after 5:30pm.
The driver, a man in his 50s, was airlifted to University Hospital Limerick but has since been discharged. It is understood he had recently purchased the vehicle and was taking Sgt O’Riordan for a drive at the time of the incident.
Sgt O’Riordan, a father of five, was a well-known and respected member of the Limerick Garda division, based at Mayorstone Garda Station.
A fluent French speaker, he was among more than 40 gardaí who assisted French authorities during the Paris Olympics in 2024. Earlier in his career, he completed a diplomatic exchange programme in France in 2003, graduating from the École Nationale Supérieure de la Police after a year of training and becoming the first English speaker to do so.
Former Garda Representative Association president Frank Thornton described Sgt O’Riordan as a highly regarded colleague who was known for supporting and mentoring younger members of the force.
“Our hearts go out to his wife and family,” Mr Thornton said. “A huge void has been left, not only within the Limerick division but across the wider Garda family. He will be deeply missed.”
Investigations into the crash are ongoing. A technical examination of the scene has been completed, and gardaí are continuing house-to-house enquiries in the area.
They are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision to come forward, particularly road users who were travelling on the R466 at Gortnaglogh around the time of the crash and who may have dash-cam footage.