John Jay’s academic exchange program, known as the Detective Garda Jerry McCabe Fellowship, was established in honor of Detective Garda McCabe after he was killed during an attempted robbery in Adare County, Limerick on June 7, 1996. To memorialize the father of five for his brave service, an exchange program of police professionals was established, allowing them to deepen their leadership skills and understanding of police practices. This year’s fellowship recipients Garda Edward Henderson and Sergeant Declan J. Egan were congratulated at the McCabe Fellowship Reception on March 15, 2019, and had the opportunity to meet many high ranking Irish and New York officials, such as: Charlie Flanagan, Minister of Justice and Equality in the Republic of Ireland; James O’Neill, NYPD Police Commissioner; Drew Harris, Garda Commissioner, Republic of Ireland; Professor Bettina Murray, Ph.D.; and our very own Karol V. Mason, President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

“Over 50 students from Ireland have completed the Fellowship here at John Jay, and then returned to Ireland to take on leadership roles within the Garda and elsewhere,” said Mason. “None of this would be possible without the support of the people in this room who have donated generously over the years to the McCabe Fellowship Fund. Thank you. And, as the well-known Irish proverb goes, ‘May the hinges of our friendship never grow rusty.’”  

President Mason went on to introduce, Charlie Flanagan, Minister of Justice and Equality in the Republic of Ireland, who thanked the many Irish Garda and governmental officials that attended the event for their dedication to protecting the people of Ireland, and for their unwavering commitment to peace. “As Minister of Justice and Equality in Ireland, it means a lot to me to be here with everybody and to honor the late Detective Garda Jerry McCabe, who gave his life in the protection of the people of Ireland,” said Flanagan. “It’s fitting that the fellowship program in his honor was created in association with this fine College, John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Indeed the vocation of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe, like many of you here in the room today, was to protect the public from violence, to uphold the root of law and democracy in the country in which he was so devoted. Remember to pay tribute to those who gave their lives in protecting our communities and our way of life, to whom we all owe an eternal debt of gratitude.”

Flanagan then turned his attentions to the Fellowship participants, Sergeant Declan Egan, who has been a Garda for over 25 years, and Garda Edward Henderson, who has been a Garda for almost 13 years. “Talking to Declan and Edward they were filling me in on the content of their work, which is both interesting and exciting, and I'm sure it will stand you in very good stead in the course of your future careers,” said Flanagan. “As indeed with all of the participants of this program, you represent the best and the brightest of our law enforcement colleagues, congratulations.”

The evening was filled with Irish cheer and excitement, anticipating a weekend filled with St. Patrick’s Day activities, and an enormous amount of appreciation and respect for John Jay Professor Bettina P. Murray, Ph.D., who, with her late husband, A. Brean Murray, was instrumental in founding the Jerry McCabe Fellowship in 1996. The Murrays gave the first fundraiser at their home in McCabe’s honor for scholars from An Garda Síochána to study at John Jay and obtain a master’s degree in Public Administration or Criminal Justice. 

More scenes from the event: