Michael Downing

Died

:

19 October 1919

Age

:

25

Rank

:

Constable

Force

:

Dublin Metropolitan Police

Cause

:

Homicide - Shot

Duty Status

:

On Duty

Roll of Honour Citation

Fatally shot as he approached three men while on foot patrol in High Street, Dublin.

Constable Downing died nineteen hours after being fatally wounded while walking his beat at 2:00am when he was shot by one of three men as he crossed the street near Christchurch Cathedral in the historic Liberties area of Dublin.

He had, earlier, swapped his shift to that night at the request of a colleague who had a date.

Michael, who was originally from a farming family on the Beara Peninsula, was described as being ‘well liked and inoffensive’.