A GARDA WHO died in the course of an attack by the Anti-Treaty IRA in the 1920s is set to be recognised for bravery more than a century on at an event in Dublin later today.

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly will host a ceremony to award deceased, retired and serving members of An Garda Síochána with Scott Medals for bravery at Walter Scott House in Dublin this morning.

The Scott Medal is the highest award that can be bestowed by the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána and is awarded for ‘most exceptional bravery and heroism involving the risk of life in the execution of duty’.

The award is named after Colonel Walter Scott, who in 1924 donated to gardaí a $1,000 gold bond, in perpetuity, to endow a bravery medal and included the dies from which all Scott medals would be struck.

The ceremony takes place at the An Garda Síochána National Bureau Headquarters, Walter Scott House, which opened in 2022.

A total of 12 Scott Medals will be awarded to 10 recipients, including: one gold medal posthumously for Sergeant James Woods who was killed during an incident with Anti-Treaty IRA members in 1923.

His colleague Garda Patrick Spillane will receive a silver medal.

Both men are credited for displaying “outstanding bravery, commitment and professionalism” after anti-treaty volunteers attacked Scartaglin Garda Station, Co Kerry while the sergeant was on duty on the night of 3 December 1923.

Woods and Spillane were sharing the space that night with the owner of the property and the man’s family.

On that night at around 8.30pm, the garda station was attacked by a group of armed and masked men believed to be local anti-treaty volunteers.

Woods and Spillane, who were both unarmed, found themselves attacked during the incident and the sergeant was fatally wounded.

Subsequently, Spillane cycled the 8km journey to Castleisland to get help.

A further silver medal will be awarded today, also posthumously, to detective sergeant Michael Egan who was shot on 21 October 1975
as he climbed a ladder at the rear of the property in order to monitor activity inside a house in Monasterevin, Co Kildare where the Provisional IRA held a man.

Gardaí were attempting to monitor the property as IRA members had abducted Dutch businessman Tiede Herrema in days prior.

Herrema was later released at the end of a two-week siege.

In recognition of the same incident, Assistant Commissioner Thomas King, Assistant Commissioner Edward O’Dea (posthumously), Chief Superintendent John Murphy, Detective Chief Superintendent Patrick Sheil and Sergeant Daniel Duffin will receive bronze medals.

There will bronze medals awarded to gardaí who on 19 January 1981 rescued hostages from a house in Glenageary in Dublin where they were held by members of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA).

These will be awarded to Assistant Commissioner Thomas King, Detective Chief Superintendent Patrick Sheil, Detective Inspector Joseph Madigan (posthumously) and Detective Sergeant William Ryan.