Late Garda Robbie McCallion fondly remembered with posthumous sport award

The late Robbie McCallion was remembered at the Garda Sports Stars Awards in Letterkenny last week.

Garda McCallion, of Letterkenny Garda Station and a native of Swinford in Mayo, was granted the Posthumous Award at the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny, by his father Bob, a former Garda, from Carndonagh.

The 29-year-old was struck by a speeding car after responding with two colleagues to a call at Tara Court in Letterkenny on March 26, 2009.  He sustained serious injuries and was conveyed to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, where he died from his injuries on April 7, 2009. 

Garda McCallion was given a full State funeral with full honours. He had served four years in the force when he died. 

“Robert - or Robbie as he was known to his friends and colleagues - McCallion was a native of Park Road, Swinford,” his citation read. “He joined An Garda Síochána in February 2005.  

“He was the youngest of four children of Bob and Nancy McCallion.  Bob McCallion was also a member of An Garda Síochána who joined in 1963.  He was a native of Carndonagh and settled in Swinford where he and Nancy raised their children, John, Noreen, Deirdre and Robert.  Both John and Robert followed in their father’s footsteps by becoming proud members of An Garda Síochána.

"Robert was assigned to Letterkenny Garda Station as a student and returned there after being attested.  Unfortunately, Robert’s life was tragically cut short when, on April 7, 2009, he passed away as a result of the injuries he had sustained in an incident while on duty at Tara Court Letterkenny (less than half a mile from here) on  March  26 of that year.

“Robert is fondly remembered by his family, community and by his Garda colleagues as a genuinely nice young man who was devoted to his family and dedicated to his career and his favourite sport, Gaelic Football.  

“Robert’s sporting career began as a child playing U10 football for Swinford GAA Club.  In 1991 he won an East Mayo National School’s title playing as a goalkeeper for Swinford National School, a feat that he repeated in 1992.  In 1992 the school went on to win the County Title with Robert scoring the winning goal from left half forward.  In 1995 Robert won an East Mayo U16 title with his club playing at right half back, a position that he would make his own on many of the teams he played on throughout the rest of his sporting career.  

“In 1997 Robert won a Connaught C Colleges Championship with Scoil Mhuire agus Padraig, Swinford and a Mayo Division 1 Minor League and Championship double with his club.  A runner-up medal in the County A U21 Championship came in 1998 along with another College’s C title.  In 1999 Robert won a Mayo Intermediate Title with Swinford where he marked James Horan in the final, a man who was on the Mayo senior team at that time and who would go on to manage the Mayo Football Senior Team.  

“The following year Robert was called up to represent Mayo at U21 level in the Connaught Championship.  He also represented Mayo at senior level in the National Football League.

“Robert represented his home club at senior level from 1998 up until the time of his death in 2009.  He also played many inter-divisional matches for the Donegal Garda Division and also represented the Garda College.  Robert was a skilful, pacy and tremendously determined member of every team that he played for.  He was quietly spoken in the dressing room but was described as a leader, leading by example on the field of play.  

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“The fact that many of his teammates and Garda colleagues still talk so fondly about him to this day is the mark of the respect in which he was held at such a young age.  Robert has been honoured by Swinford GAA Club renaming their pitch in his memory, an honour that is richly deserved. Sadly Robert’s brother John also passed away suddenly in 2019.  The Posthumous Award to Robert McCallion is richly deserved for a person who made such a huge and lasting impact on the lives of so many people during his short life.”