Ireland's Toughest Policeman - Jim ‘Lugs’ Branigan, 1985

12 years after retiring Garda Jim ‘Lugs’ Branigan returned to his beat in Dublin’s Liberties.
Jim Branigan nicknamed ‘Lugs’ Dublin’s most famous Garda tells RTÉ News about his career and a reputation for being a tough man. The former boxer and head of the Garda riot squad is now retired and living in Summerhill County Meath.
He shows reporter Colm Connolly an array of weapons that he confiscated on the streets of Dublin. One of Jim Branigan’s proudest possessions is a set of cutlery presented to him by Dublin prostitutes on his retirement.
I was never very hard on them. The most I ever did was when I would come along and see them I would say, ‘Come on girls get home’. If they didn’t go and would come back to them a second time and say, ‘Go or you are coming’.
An RTÉ News report broadcast 26 September 1985. The reporter is Colm Connolly.

[@davidyasss3484]

We drastically need him back. The stories I've heard.

[@susanlaird5154]

Every town needs a man like him.

[@Paddyandpoppy]

“A bit nervous till we got going” brilliant.

[@Lar308]

I joined the gardai in 1983 and there were a few lugs wannabees now and again. Loose cannons that were nothing but trouble both for themselves and for the poor Garda who was just with him at the time. One sergeant due for retirement was not allowed to retire and get his gratuity and pension until he "settled" some assault complaint against him. In general tough guys like Lugs were not highly regarded in the job even in 1983. We were warned in training in Templemore about guys like Lugs and told that we would be held accountable for our own individual actions or inactions - something that I never forgot in my nearly 31 years in the job. Retired as a sergeant in 2013.

[@davidoconnor601]

Well nothing wrong with a few lugs behind you if trouble kicks off 🤣

[@davidoconnor601]

Also thanks for your service

[@Horsecockbadger]

My father was a garda and he said lugs was a bully and used to still stand outside Pearce Street garda Station wanting to still be apart of the force. Pathetic aul gobshite if u ask me!

[@basicconcepts1d]

31 Years.! Observing and saying nothing. I thank for your cowardice.

[@eddiestaunton514]

Great comment you sound like a Guard who was ahead of their time but Lugs was a man of his time too, we were a lot rougher back then

[@RainerBosch-qy9fj]

This generation of real men are gone. And we won't see their like again. Which is sad.

[@basicconcepts1d]

This Generation of honest Women are gone. We are Fufty /Fufty and are undecided and confused. Nature allows cross pollination and we may grow a billion Blooms. No Bees ===== Let's just fight over the Remains of the past. Or the Remains of the Future.

[@finolaomurchu8217]

Everyone is delighted to see him. What a man he was. 🧚‍♂️

[@theRappinSpree]

He passed away less than a year after this piece was made.

[@kybone25]

What happened to him?

[@DashDrones]

Those shins were shocking 😳

[@tireachan6178]

Touch of psoriasis

[@finolaomurchu8217]

I know. Imagine a stiletto, a woman kicking.

[@PB22559]

That's what psoriasis looks like. Nothing to do with being kicked with stilettos.

[@veronicadredd22]

Never pick a fight with a man who has cauliflower ears,

[@cookimonster1251]

HA HA EXACTLY WOT I TOLD MA LOOK AT THE LUGS OF THEM LOVE TO OFF SEEN HIM BOXING IN WIN OR LOSE GERMANY PS HOW DO PEOPLE ACTUALLY GET CAULIFLOWER EARS AHH my idea good hideing 🤕🤔 tbh idk 9out10 THERE ALWAYS HARD MEN SERIOUSLY PS HES MY MY HERO AND LOOK AT HIS LEGS 🇨🇮😂🤕 MUST OF HURT LIKE HELL MAN🤔❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️👍

[@jamesfagan7823]

They should make a movie about Mr Branigan,

[@hansedvard2623]

I was in the TV Club in Harcourt Street one Saturday night when there was a scuffle between a couple of men. In came "Lugs" wearing his grey suit, white shirt and back tie, oh and he also had leather gloves on both hands. He strode into the hall and the dancers stood aside to allow the three Garda space. Oh yes, Lugs had his very own policemen walking either side of him. Within a few minutes they had the culprit who was causing the trouble and took him outside. We never did see that poor fellow again..........don't worry, nothing serious ever happened. Most of the time they would get a good hiding and not. make waves again. Lugs was very fair, and he was respected for that.

[@COUNTYGAINS]

This is actually the most wholesome video ever the end

[@tonymckeown2561]

Lugs pulled me and my friend once. He let us go. Touht man but fair.

[@Vigilante311]

3:45 my god i miss that generation of old people

[@ogstopper]

" ..... the divil in hell won't even change that!"

[@sullieking]

The good men are longgone

[@movinon1242]

Jaysus those shins!

[@bdsjr32]

Great story. From an American's point of view, exactly what a cop should aspire to be. Reminds me of the ol' timers where I came from. They were nice until it was time not to be nice. And that meant someone was going to lose badly until they got their mind right.

[@ilovebrandnewcarpets]

I'm sorry, but getting a RETIREMENT GIFT of a CUTLARY SET, from PROSTITUTES, is an all time LOL moment.

[@bobdonaldson1183]

FROM YOUR COMMENT, you know the price of everything but the value of nothing.

[@fewcans5311]

My nanny grew up on church street and told me loads of stories about this fella, someone who took no shit from dirt, took care of the locals. Dublin needs another lugs branigan

[@punchy1325]

Met him once unfortunately he was fair tho one night I heard here comes lugs then 10 mins later there goes lugs someone had bottled him

[@brianallen858]

Probably the last of them

[@backpackingireland8624]

Amazingly how much we owe such men ! Having grown up on the North Side of Cork City there were a few hard Guards . Begrudging respect. Nowadays they home has no respect, the street is merely a slaughter house 🇮🇪

[@seamusodowd1556]

There is an argument that some excesses of use of force can be traced back to some Garda trying to be a modern version of him. I encounter many patients who have experience with the criminal justice system. I had noticed a reduction I the levels of excessive use of force reported to me. However in the past few years it seems to be increasing again. Pity as it doesn't work and is often counterproductive.

[@darrenfarrell-bn2cb]

He Took No Shit Play Ball Or Your Lifted, let’s Go.

[@fod2011]

How are getting on with the old cloning business?

[@paddyt4043]

This was the high water mark of policing in the Republic.

[@MOCONKLIN]

Guards like himself were hard men but fair. Growing up in ballymun there were a ew. Hard but fair and they set me straight

[@COUNTYGAINS]

THOSE EARS THO!! DAMN!!

[@martin4458]

He should have been in New York.

[@bouse23]

A hard man doing a hard job. He was unusual in the gardai at the time. He was a true blue dub.

[@checker3694]

I wonder is he a real Gardai ? , no mandatory moustache than they had back then.

[@eastvillepark6037]

Lyrics by an Irishman

[@cassbarker1966]

Everybody loved him! ❤ you just don’t see men like this anymore they’re all dead now I commented the other day that you just don’t see the ole men in their suits anymore they’re all gone 😢 imagine in a generation ole men wondering round in adidas tracksuits with beanies and trucker caps 😂 covered in facial tattoos

[@sullieking]

You said it

[@MOCONKLIN]

And hats. Always remember me granda wouldn't go anywhere without his hat