Just A Routine Stop

limerick | anti-war / imperialism | news report Thursday June 24, 2004 15:51 by Joe Sheehan - MAMA

More Petty Garda Harassment in Shannon

Garda Questionsus, Garda stops us we have a laugh!

Picture the scene we (Tim, Mary and I) had just been for a drive in Co. Clare we decided to drop in to Shannon to see if anyone had missed us and what was going on at the moment.

We headed in to the industrial estate and I parked the car, Tim and I headed up to the usual spot to see what planes were in and were stopped by a Garda from west Galway who asked for our names being law abiding gentlemen we gave our names, when Tim gave his name the Garda replied “I should know you”.
While Tim was checking what was in, an army jet and 2 navy DC9s (I am sure Tim will correct me if I am wrong), I had a chat with the Garda who actually seemed to be well informed even wondering if Bush will get in againseeing as he was not even elected the first time. As we were saying our goodbyes we requested he “do us a favour arrest him”
to which he replied “no not tonight” both of us were a bit baffled at this so Tim said “he has a record as long as your arm,”
After a moment it clicked he thought it was me we wanted arrested so i had t let him know I was a good guy and Tim said “no not him, our friend George.” Our new Garda friend, or so we thought, followed us at a distance back to the car and watched us leave the industrial estate.

We headed on our way home thinking that all our fun was over for the evening but shortly after pulling on to the dual carriageway, at 22.26pm to be exact, we were overtaken by a Silver Opel Vectra, 03 D 716866 and motioned to pull over to the hard shoulder.
We were approached by a Garda Sergent, and I was asked for my name and my drivers licence which I presented to him and he went back to his car to talk to his friendd. When he returned after a few minutes with my licence I asked him his name and why he was stopping us, he said his name was Sgt. Jim O Leary, CN 41and that it was just a routine stop. He then asked if I would open the boot which I did and followed him round to the boot he had a quick look in but did not check anything seriously.

Then he asked where we were coming from, to which I replied that he knew well as he had been informed by his colleague from Galway that we had been up at the industrial estate. He just mumbled some rubbish here. Again I asked him why he had stopped us as I had been driving safely and under the speed limit and there was nothing wrong with the car. Again he replied that it was just a routine stop. "Is it usual to just stop people who have been plane spotting or is there some other routine we fitted into?."

He continued around the car to meet Tim coming out the back passenger door and asked his name which Tim told him and again asked why we were being stopped and told the officer that he knew well who we were. The officer replied that he did not know tim and that it was just a routine stop, we both started laughing and said that it was because we had been up at the industrial estate and it was just harassment.

Sgt O'Leary then asked Mary her name her name and address which she gave an even was nice enough to help him spell the big words. He then said thank you and went on his way after following us to Bunratty