Did you know this Bradford Police officer was responsible for killing over 130 people including 5 women??   In 1884 he resigned and became a public executioner with responsibility for hanging convicted persons throughout the UK.  Find out also about the man he failed to execute despite 3 attempts - the man they couldn't hang.  All this and more at the Bradford City Police museum, City Hall, Bradford.
WELL WORTH A VISIT.   See web site for openings etc.

The Irish Detective in Yorkshire by Gerry O'Shea.    Real Life - True Crime by a real cop.

Imagine for a moment, you are going about your normal daily business, maybe shopping or going to work.   You hear some noise and a commotion ahead of you.  You see figures running away from the commotion and others running towards it.  People are screaming and shouting.  Some are crying and others in shocked silence.   As you get to the scene you now see a man who is obviously dead with a vicious knife wound to his throat.  A woman lying on the ground nearby is screaming in pain having also suffered a violent attack.

Ok back to reality now......you were only imagining this horrendous event.  If it had been a reality no doubt it would have greatly disturbed you and preyed on your mind for a long time - even causing you sleepless nights.  

But what about someone who has to deal with such serious crime on a regular basis.  What's it like, how do they cope, what are their thoughts.

This book gives a unique insight into the life and work of Irishman Gerry O'Shea - a real top detective as he deals with real life serious crime and chronicles his way through a 32 year police career from the 70's to the present day.

5 star review - "A great book, I couldn't put it down."

Available from Amazon Books at only £9.99 through this link  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irish-Detective-Yorkshire-Gerry-OShea/dp/1910097187/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415555408&sr=1-1&keywords=gerry+o%27shea







 

My First Curry

'The Irish Detective in Yorkshire' book launch takes place at the Bradford City Library, Centenary Square, Bradford at 5.30 pm Thursday 16 October.  Each copy of the book sold at £9.99 will result in a £1 donation to the police charity 'COPS' - caring for police survivors.
The book is also available from Amazon Books.

The book deals with Real Life - Real Crime and is a true account of my life in rural Ireland, emigration to the UK and my 30 year career as a senior detective in Yorkshire.

The following is a taster from the book of how I started to settle into my new environment in my adopted city of Bradford.

My first encounter with eating curry came soon after I had arrived in the city.  I went up Leeds Road where there was an abundance of public houses and restaurants.  After a few drinks I felt hungry.  My meal of choice after a drink was always chicken and chips, so I set off to find some.

I tried several restaurants but they were all curry houses and did not serve my meal.  Eventually, now very hungry and somewhat frustrated I ended up at the now closed, Evergreen Restaurant.
Again I asked for chicken and chips but the waiter said No.  I asked what he did sell and in his broken English accent he said "chicken and chapattis".   I thought - the man doesn't speak the Queens English (like me!!) and it's just a breakdown in communication.  He really means chicken and chips.

So I ordered and paid and took a seat.  The waiters were by now regarding me with some suspicion and kept looking down at me and whispering.  My meal arrived - something in a dish with some wraps.  I waited patiently for a knife and fork but none was forthcoming.  
I looked around and saw other customers were eating with their hands, using the chappati wrap to scoop from the dish.

I copied them.  The chicken was covered in hot spicy curry sauce and it burnt my mouth. I was not used to spicy food. My only previous experience had been when my mother put pepper on my dinner! I was aware of the waiters interest in me so I tried again.  Aaagh, again it burnt my mouth, made my eyes water and reduced me to a gasping fit of coughing.  I pretended to eat the curry by chewing on a piece of wrap with no curry until the waiters got fed up of looking at me.  When their attention was diverted I took the opportunity of exiting the place in a flash.

My first experience did not put me off and I now consider myself as a bit of a 'curry gourmet'.  

'Irish Detective in Yorkshire' book update.

Well, after 4 summer months in the Emerald Isle myself and my wife Marion are back in Yorkshire.
We've had a great time in Ireland and have been really busy.  I've sold my holiday home in Tramore, County Waterford and I've bought my old family home where I was reared at Deerpark, County Kilkenny.   What a strange feeling going back to the home of my youth.  Everything seems so much smaller or I seem much bigger - probably the latter unfortunately!
Tending to the gardens and furnishing it has kept me busy.  If I ever win the lottery I will never purchase flat-pack furniture again!

The publication and book launch of my first book has been very enjoyable but hard work too.  As a self publisher I am responsible for everything to do with the book.  This brings great responsibility but great satisfaction as well.  The media - in particular KCLR radio, Irish TV, the Kilkenny People (Sean Keane / Maurice Shortall) and the Kilkenny Reporter (Jimmy Rhatigan  / Chubby Brennan) have been very supportive and provided me with lots of exposure.

Many thanks to retail outlets such as Holohans, O'Rourkes, Post Office and the Book Shop all in Castlecomer and to Liz at Stone House Books and Yvonne at the Book Centre in Kilkenny also for their valuable support.

The book launch at Castlecomer Library was a great success and surpassed all our expectations.  Many thanks to Mary Morrissey and her staff.

I have received tremendous feed-back from my readers.  This gives me the enthusiasm to now repeat the whole process here in the UK.  I have learnt from the Irish launch and the experience will help me here.  I am planning to launch 'The Irish Detective in Yorkshire' in Bradford towards the end of October.  I am currently arranging a suitable venue and looking for retailers to sell the book.
This is more problematic than in Ireland as most of the retailers are national chain outlets and I have to deal with faceless people at head office - never as good as the personal touch.

Watch this space for more details to follow regarding my book launch.  Just a reminder that my book is currently available to purchase on-line from Amazon Books.

Best wishes to all for now from The Irish Detective - Gerry O'Shea.

The frail 75 year old woman lay in the intensive care unit.  She had been brutally attacked in her own home by a crazed knife wielding intruder.  The doctors said she was unlikely to pull through and would prove fatal in the next few hours.   As the detective leading the case to find her attacker, I suspected she knew the identity of her attacker.
I sat on her bed and gently coaxed her to tell me who had done it.  She tried to lift her head and said....."It's, It's---." before going back to sleep.   I coaxed her again eager to find the identity of the attacker.............."Come on Mary you can tell me".
Again she said "It's - It's - It's my bloody leg - your sitting on it!!"
By the way Mary survived the attack.  I arrested her attacked who received a long prison sentence.  

This is one of the more lighthearted stories from my book - 'The Irish Detective in Yorkshire' which is available from Amazon Books on  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irish-Detective-Yorkshire-Gerry-OShea/dp/1910097187/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416089910&sr=1-1&keywords=gerry+o%27shea

The Irish Detective in Yorkshire

Getting giddy now as the date of the book launch of my new book approaches.  Date and venue is 7pm on Tuesday 19 August at Castlecomer Library.  Pre launch sales have been very good and feedback on the book is excellent.   Good exposure this week on the Kilkenny People newspaper +kkpeople12  and more exposure this week on the Kilkenny Reporter @kkreporter and KCLR +KCLR 96FM on Saturday morning.  

Update on 'The Irish Detective in Yorkshire' new book.

Since collecting my sparkling newly printed books from Lettertec Printers, Cork last week it has been a hectic time.  The print work and the quality of the book is excellent - no wonder they are award winning printers.   With just limited publicity from social media sites sales of the book have been great.  At the moment I am concentrating mainly on the launch of the book in Ireland.  I will work to market the book in the UK when I return there in September.
The book is available to buy from Holohans Newsagents and O'Rourkes Newsagents - both in Castecomer.
It is also available from Stone House Books at St Kiernans Street, Kikenny City.
The book is also also available on the internet from www. Amazon. Click here.

I am preparing for a formal Book Launch at Castlecomer Library at 7pm on Tuesday 19 August.  I will give a short overview of the book and tell some anecdotes from its content.  I hope to see as many people as possible there.  To help raise awareness I am embarking on a media campaign with interviews with the 2 local newspapers The Kilkenny People and The Kilkenny Reporter and KCLR radio

Kilkenny Bookshops

What a beautiful city Kilkenny is on a hot summer afternoon lazing in the coffee shops and exploring in the unique independent small shops that gives the place it's own lovely individuality.
I personally love to browse in the independent book shops where you can find real gems of books and journals by local authors who are generally ignored by the large national book shops.
One such gem is Stone House Books at Dalgan House in St Kieran Street.  You can spend ages looking at interesting books at reasonable prices.  Thank goodness for the small bookshops such as this.

A First Step Into The Unknown

I'm very excited to share with you the first preview of my newly published book, The Irish detective In Yorkshire. 
The following paragraphs give a small insight into the frame of mind of a young person, about to leave behind their family and a culture held so dear.
They say every journey starts with that one, single step. Let me take you back to the Ireland of the early 1970s as I embarked on that fateful journey of my own. The world was a smaller place back then, and I can tell you that it was with no shortage of trepidation with which I ventured.
Little did I realise on that sleepy morning the scale of the adventure which lay in wait for me. The razor sharp edge of policing in England's harsh and industrial North could not have been further from my thoughts.
Please enjoy....

                                           
January 1973. "How's it going?" Shouted my neighbour, farmer Mikey Boran, as I waited with my suitcase outside my house at Deerpark near the small country town of Castlecomer in Southern Ireland. It was 7am on a cold winter morning, Mikey was riding past on his bicycle going to check on his cows. Seeing me dressed unusually smartly and with a small brown suitcase at my side prompted another shout. "Are you going somewhere, Gerry?"- he enquired.

I've never been a morning person and I didn't feel too much like engaging in a conversation at this time of day, especially as I had already told Mikey at least a dozen times that I was going to England on Monday. I said "I'm going to England Mikey, remember, I told you?" ... "Oh Janey Mac, sure I forgot all about that", said Mikey. "Look after yourself now!"

Mikey was one of two middle-aged bachelor brothers who owned a small farm near our house. They were genuine, decent people and very good neighbours. Their lives revolved around their farm and were not complicated in any way by external influences such as marriage or any other events outside of their farm. The farthest either of them had ever been was to Dublin about 60 miles away. Mikey had made one trip to a greyhound race some years earlier and he still lived on the details of that trip as though he had gone around the world. 

As youngsters, my friends and I would spend as much time as we possibly could helping out on the farm. It was fun for us playing with the animals and the brothers enjoyed our company and appreciated the little bit of help we gave. I would often spend my entire school summer holidays working on the farm-milking cows, feeding the animals and picking potatoes in the fields. Mikey's brother, Pat, was in charge of the finances and would pay me 2 pounds a week, but I would have done it for nothing. 

I think Mikey and Pat had actually influenced me to be heading for a distant shore on that January morning. I saw how their lives revolved around their farm and whilst they had a good, happy life, I wanted to see more of the world than my small country town. 

While I was excited by the prospect of my new adventure, I was also a little bit sad. I was glad it was very early in the morning and no one, except Mikey Boran, was out to see me off. I had said goodbye to my mother and father, but they had stayed inside. They would not want me to see them upset and I did't want anyone to see me with weepy eyes. That same scenario would be repeated many times over the coming years as I returned home for holidays and family events. I would always arrange it so that my wife Marion and I, and our four boys would leave for the airport or ferry very early in the morning, before we could see anyone. We would always be upset at leaving, but at least no one could see us and make it even worse. 

As Mikey bid me farewell and disappeared up the road on his bicycle, I dried the tears from my eyes and saw my lift to the airport had arrived....... 


Stay tuned for more snippets from the book.  Buy the book for only £9.99 plus postage from Amazon Books on this link  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irish-Detective-Yorkshire-Gerry-OShea/dp/1910097187/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416149237&sr=1-1&keywords=gerry+o%27shea







  

Exciting New Book!

Here is the first look at the front cover of my new book - The Irish Detective in Yorkshire.

The book is being printed at the moment by one of Ireland's leading printers.  I am preparing to have it on sale within the next few weeks.  I am self-publishing which means I have everything to do and I am really busy.  If someone says it is easy to write a book they may be partly right but it certainly isn't easy to do everything else associated with writing and publishing a book independently.   I have also opted for the traditional approach of having the book available in hard-back and paper-back format.  Like many other people I like to have a 'proper' book in my hand.  I have had excellent reviews from readers of the draft book and so I am really looking forward to the book launch.

If, like me, you are fond of reading true life biographies with aspects of Irish emigration, integration, real life crime and most importantly a unique insight into the personal life of a top detective, then you will enjoy this book.  

How Refreshing

As a retired police officer I find it quite natural to see the negatives in people and places. Having served in West Yorkshire for over thirty years and at every level of policing, there's nothing I haven't seen, and as I've said before, there is no news story or tragedy, no matter how shocking that will surprise me. I have truly seen every possible aspect of human nature. Unsurprisingly, as a police officer it is inevitable that it's more often than not the darker side of human nature with which we tend to deal on a daily basis. And as such, a rather pessimistic view becomes natural.
I like to stay abreast of news from my old stomping ground, something which is easier now than ever before thanks to the invaluable world wide web! Most newsworthy stories, whether at local or national level, will involve some sort of police involvement. As an ex officer I tend to read with my critical eye, not just with regard to policing techniques, but also from a journalistic point of view-after all, balance is only fair, regardless of what kind of severity we may be dealing with.
From time to time a region will have the opportunity to shine when the media spotlight falls upon it, and the world of sport is a wonderful arena from which to highlight the very best of which a community has to offer. This week was the turn of Yorkshire.
The worlds media descended to document the Tour de France Grand Depart. And I have to say, how delightfully refreshing it was to pick up the newspapers and read nothing but positives about the county and its warm, welcoming people-over a million of which lined the streets of West Yorkshire for phase one on the opening day. Images of stunning colour adorned the front and back pages of every regional paper, television news captured a wonderful spectacle and the entire world looked on. It was the region's chance to shine-and shine it certainly did!
It goes without saying that these things do not simply come together by accident. From an organisational standpoint, the logistics are quite mindblowing. And it has to be said, the emergency services play an integral, indeed a vital part when it comes to planning-and performing on the day. Public safety is at the heart of everything we do.Ensuring the wellbeing of over a million people in relatively close proximity is an aspect of policing which is more often than not overlooked when it comes to the public and their perceptions of the work we do. But this in itself is a sign that all of those unassuming officers have carried out their every duty in the correct manner and all for the sole purpose of protecting the public.
With all this in mind it's only right to extend a huge congratulations to the organisers of this wonderful event as well as the welcoming people of Yorkshire whose contribution ensured a truly unforgettable experience for all in attendance.
And I obviously cannot sum up without paying my own respects to my former colleagues at West yorkshire police. I looked on from afar with an enormous sense of pride and satisfaction, and although it was only how it should be, it was in every aspect a case of mission accomplished.
Here's a look at how local written press are covering the event... I do believe a collective pat on the back is in order..
Tour de France Grand Depart, Telegraph and Argus.   

 

Greetings!

                                                         
                                                                 Welcome Aboard!

Greetings fellow readers and writers, and a warm welcome to my blogspot! I'm looking forward to sharing my thoughts and experiences, and hopefully learning from you all along the way.
I'm Gerry O'Shea, a retired high ranking detective with over thirty years of service and countless distinctions under my belt. I've dealt with crime at every possible level, working my way up from the local Bobby, patrolling my beat on the highways and backstreets of Yorkshire, to making crucial, high pressure, split-second decisions to influence outcomes when dealing with the most high profile of crimes - when it comes to criminality and how to police it, I've seen it all... Nothing can surprise me.
My path to the top was by no means easy. As a young Irishman endeavouring to carve a future for myself in what was a socially unpredictable Britain, I found myself growing increasingly frustrated at the seemingly acceptable way in which I was looked down upon. The butt of the oh so common 'Paddy Irishman' jokes, I decided to let my determination and ambition take over, rather than allowing my frustrations to get the better of me. My story is powerful and will resonate with everyone of Irish descent, all too familiar with tales of their fathers and forefathers and the historic struggle to thrive.
My story became my adventure, and I'd like to introduce you to my latest project-my biography.
My latest book, The Irish Detective In Yorkshire is my story, in my words. Available over the coming weeks (through this blogspot), the book is a captivating record of the life and career of an ambitious police officer, dealing with the sharp end of the criminal dagger-a gripping insight and behind the scenes look at the contrast of work and family life.
Stay tuned for updates and snippets from the book, The Irish Detective In Yorkshire. In the meantime, I look forward to connecting with you!
Yours in writing,
Gerry.

Blurb

                                                       
                                       Gerry O'Shea, Author of The Irish Detective in Yorkshire

Gerry O'Shea was born and raised in Castlecomer, a small town in rural Ireland. It was an area untouched by crime or racial discrimination, but, sadly, lacking in career opportunities for an ambitious young man. Like thousands of others before him, he took the emigration route to England.
This book details the trials and tribulations of a young Irishman coping with a new lifestyle whilst steadfastly holding on to his own beloved culture.
It describes how he eventually joined the police service and rose through the ranks to become a senior detective.
It gives a unique insight into the life of The Irish Detective as he deals with the most serious of crime.
Married with four adult sons and now retired from the police force, Gerry shares his time between Yorkshire and beloved Ireland.

Available from Amazon Books on this link  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irish-Detective-Yorkshire-Gerry-OShea/dp/1910097187/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416591613&sr=1-1&keywords=gerry+o%27shea