Later this morning An Garda Síochána will host a ceremony in Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, to unveil a Monument of Remembrance honouring Recruit Garda Gary Sheehan and Private Patrick Kelly, who died while in service to the State in 1983.

Following a memorial mass, the Garda Ceremonial Unit and Garda Band will perform a ceremonial march from the front of St Patrick’s Church to the monument of remembrance at Ballinamore Garda Station, which will be unveiled by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and Minister James Browne.

Private Kelly and Mr Sheehan died when IRA kidnappers opened fire after a joint garda and Defence Forces search operation found the hideout where kidnapped businessman Don Tidey was being held in Drumcornan Wood, Ballinamore.

The kidnapping of Mr Tidey led to a 23-day search operation, one of the biggest joint search operations ever carried out by gardaí and Irish Defence Forces.

Recruit Garda Sheehan (aged 23) from Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan and Private Kelly (a 36-year-old married father of four from Moate, Co Westmeath) were part of the joint Garda/Irish Defence Forces search party when they were confronted by a Provisional IRA gang at Drumcornan Wood, Ballinamore, and shot dead.