‘It’s an honour to serve the people of Inishowen’

Our first female Superintendent plans to focus on drugs, domestic violence and helping the vulnerable

Inishowen’s first female Garda Superintendent is “honoured to have the opportunity to serve the people” of the peninsula.

A native of Rathmullan, Goretti Sheridan was appointed to succeed Supt Eugene McGovern last week and says she’s “delighted to be back home in Donegal”.

Supt Sheridan, who has been a guard for 27 years, intends to place particular emphasis on a continued crackdown on drugs offences here, having previously served in drugs units across Dublin.

“There are drugs in every corner of every town and village in the country, and unfortunately there’s a market there for that.”

“We have a couple of members here employed in the drugs unit [in Buncrana] and the traffic unit will continue to have a big focus on drug driving too.”

“Tackling drugs will certainly be a focus for us and if anybody has any information or suspicions they can anonymously report their concerns to us,” she suggested.

Supt Sheridan says she will also focus on domestic violence and try to be an advocate for victims of abuse in Inishowen. She previously worked closely with the Donegal Rape Crisis Centre and Women’s Aid.

“Domestic violence, particularly in the current climate with covid, can be very tough. There will be people suffering at home, female and male, and the thought of another lockdown won’t be good for them.”

“But there is help out there and there are big support structures here in Donegal. The big thing is for people to look for help and we can certainly point them in the right direction for support services.”