Funeral details revealed for detective Ben Thornton who barely survived infamous republican landmine attack
Funeral details have been released for an Irish policeman who survived a notorious landmine booby-trap set in place by the IRA.
Ben Thornton, believed to be aged around 80, died today in Portlaoise Regional Hospital according to a former police colleague.
Originally from Rathleague, Portlaoise, of late he had lived in Swinford, Co Mayo.
A death notice says: “Beloved husband of Norrie and dearly loved father to Alan and Lorena. Predeceased by his sisters Mary and Patsy and brother Eddie.
"Deeply regretted by his sisters Sr Augusta and Theresa, son-in-law Rory, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and good friend Joe and former colleagues in An Garda Siochana.
“May he rest in peace.”
His body will be at Keegan’s Funeral Home on Thursday evening from 6.30 pm until 8pm, with rosary recital at 7.30pm and removal on Friday to arrive at St Peter & Paul’s Roman Catholic Church, Portlaoise, for noon requiem mass.
House private.
Detective Thornton was one of five police officers called to respond to a call about suspicious activity at a house outside Portarlington, a tiny town in central Ireland, on October 16, 1976.
But it was an IRA trap.
The house was rigged to blow, and young officer Michael Clerkin was completely destroyed when he went inside to investigate in the middle of the night, with almost the entire house collapsing around – and on top of – the remaining officers.
You can read a full account from one survivor here:
In December 2017, Garda Clerkin was posthumously awarded An Garda Siochana’s Scott Medal for Bravery, alongside fellow responding officers Jim Cannon, Tom Peters, Gerry Bohan – and Ben Thornton.
It was presented by the then-Irish justice minister Charlie Flanagan.
The 999 caller who lured the officers to the house had done so with a claim that an IRA gang was about to attack Fine Gael TD Oliver J Flanagan – Charlie Flanagan’s father.
The medal was instituted in 1923, and honours officers who undertake “an act of personal bravery, performed intelligently in the execution of duty at imminent risk to the life of the doer, and armed with full previous knowledge of the risk involved".