It's been 17 years since a member of an Garda Síochána fatally shot a member of the Real IRA.

A Commission of Investigation into the shooting has entered into its first day of public hearings after a jury returned a verdict of "death by misadventure" at an inquest in 2009. 

Ronan MacLochlainn, a member of the Real IRA, was 28 when he was shot dead by a garda during an attempted robbery of a Securicor van near Ashford Co. Wicklow in 1998 - on the day of “blue flu” unofficial garda strike action on Friday May 1st.

The 32 County Sovereignty Movement now commemorates his death every year.

An inquest into the death was re-opened in September 2009 after being adjourned 11 years previously but McLochlainn’s partner, Gráinne NicGibb took a case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) alleging the State failed to investigate properly and that the investigation did not satisfy the requirements of Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

As the public hearings begin following a year of Government investigations, we take a look back at the events from 1998 to now.

What happened on the night in question:

• May 1st 1998: A six-member gang attempts to rob a Securicor van near Ashford, Co.Wicklow in May 1998. 
• MacLochlainn was himself armed with a revolver.
• The gang as a whole were armed with a shotgun, revolver, assault rifle, and handguns, as well as an AK47 and a dummy rocket launcher.
• When gardaí moved in, MacLochlainn attempted to hijack an elderly couple's car who had just happened upon the scene.
• No shots were fired by the gang. Twelve were fired by three gardaí. 
• Ronan MacLochlainn, from Ballymun in Dublin, dies of a single bullet to the chest.
• Gardai were not aware they were intercepting a robbery. It was prevented due to a surveillance operation by the Emergency Response Unit.
• The garda who launched the fatal shot was killed in the course of duty some years later.

The scene after the shooting in 1998. Image: Photocall Ireland.

Timeline of events following the shooting:

• August 6th, 1998: Inquest into the Real IRA man’s death opens. 
• Inquest is subject to lengthy delays and is later adjourned. 
• In 1999, MacLochlainn’s partner, Ms NicGibb takes a civil case against the State seeking damages for “unlawful, wrongful and intentional killing and assault and for negligence and breach of duty”.
• In 2006, the State claims privilege in relation to certain police documents. 
• 28 September 2009: Inquest into MacLochlainn’s death re-opens. Jury returns a verdict of death by misadventure.
• 2010: Ms NicGibb takes a legal case under the European Convention on Human Rights. The case is later struck out on the basis of a Commission of Inquiry being set up.
• July 2014: Government sets up the Commission.
• September 8th 2015: Public hearings begin.

At the inquest held six years ago, three police officers who were at the scene on the night of the shooting were called as witnesses as well as police experts in forensics and ballistics.

Six civilian witnesses testified - none had witnessed the shooting.

As part of her case under the ECHR, Ms NicGibb outlined the following complaints against the inquest:

• The Coroner’s refusal to order that certain documents be disclosed by the police.
• The absence from the hearing of a police officer who had been part of the same unit of the officer who launched the fatal shots. 
• The coroner’s refusal to call said garda’s commanding officer.
• The refusal to allow questions about the car used by the garda.
• The production of many photographs at the hearing that had not been previously disclosed to her.
• The absence of a stenographer.
• The coroner’s refusal to allow her counsel address the jury on the evidence at the inquest.

On May 16th 2013, the High Court ruled that police documents be disclosed to the her with certain passages redacted.

Fast forward to today, and the Government has been carrying out investigations for the past year. In the coming months, 85 witnesses are due to appear at the public hearings.

The Commission will decide if the force use by gardai on the night of the fatal shooting was proportionate.