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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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On the night of December 25, 1925, Garda Thomas Dowling from 98 High Street, Ballyragget, County Kilkenny was murdered at Craggagh, Fanore, North Clare as he cycled on his journey back to his station while on duty.
‘I have to say that the people of Clare whom I met could not show more sympathy to me. All I have to say about the crime is that I have no enmity against those who murdered my son. They must have been mad. I forgive them from my heart.' - John Dowling, father of Guard Thomas Dowling; Kilkenny People 2 January 1926
Thomas Dowling son of John and Bridget Dowling, Ballyragget, was stationed at Fanore Garda Barracks, North Clare in 1925.
He was twenty-nine years of age and as he returned from his patrol duty his life was taken outside the graveyard wall of Craggagh cemetery at 10pm in the night.
Thomas as a young boy attended Ballyragget National School and became an apprentice baker.
He answered the call to defend his country and took a prominent part in the struggle for Irish freedom.
When the Free State was established, he joined the army and held the rank of Lieutenant.
During the Civil War he was severely wounded in an ambush in Clonmel.
He joined An Garda Siochana in March 1924 and underwent training in the Phoenix Park training depot.
He was transferred to Fanore Garda Barracks in 1925.
He was described by his colleagues as a person of quiet and retiring disposition.
At the time of Garda Dowling’s death, a sergeant and four Gardai were stationed in Fanore barracks.
The barracks in which they were stationed was a three-roomed house built as a labourers' cottage.
The Christmas season of 1925 in Fanore was no more unusual than Christ-masses of previous years.
As the parish priest Fr Walsh who said Christmas morning mass in the nearby church and in his final blessing to his flock wished peace and good will to all the parish and mankind.
Everyone wasn’t listening and if they were they certainly didn’t heed the words of the priest.
Three days later on the night of 28 December the silence of the coastline at Fanore was shattered.
Three gunshots rang out, and after a deathly silence, a man lay mortally wounded on the ground.
Garda Dowling, along with his off duty colleague Garda John Cahill, had been passing the graveyard and were ambushed from the corner of a field adjoining the graveyard wall.
Garda Dowling dies instantly.
As Garda Cahill made haste to get away, Rifle shots flew past him as the ambushers tried to kill him too.
On reaching the barracks, Garda Cahill informed the Sergeant on duty of the tragedy.
The sergeant along with a local man who visiting the station at the time made their way to the scene of the shooting and found the body of Garda Dowling.
The next morning Tuesday 29 December, a full-scale murder hunt was launched in Fanore.
About a week after the murder three local people were charged with the murder of Thomas Dowling.
They were remanded in Custody to Galway prison to answer the charge.
After the inquest the coffin containing the remains of Garda Dowling was conveyed by road to Ballyragget, Co. Kilkenny.
Burial took place in Ballyouskill cemetery in Co. Laois.
On Wednesday 28 December an evening of remembrance for Garda Thomas Dowling, Garda Michael Buggy and Garda Paddy Mc Gree will take place with mass in the church of the Assumption, Ballyouskill at 3.00pm.
After mass there will be an evening of remembrance at the Wheel Inn, Ballyouskill, across the road from the
Church.
Author and historian from Clare Joe Queally who has written a book an the death of Garda Dowling ‘Echoes from a Civil War’ will give a talk on the death of Garda Dowling and also will have an exhibit on view of the ambush scene at Fanore.
The book can be purchased online at echoesfromacivilwar.ie or from joequeally@yahoo.com
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