Background
He was the son of Thomas J. Quinn, the principal of the National School.
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William Quinn
Edit ProfileCareer
He joined the Garda Síochána in December 1922 and holds the distinction of being the first recruit to rise through the ranks to the office of Commissioner. He was educated at the Christian Brothers Dundalk. He joined the Ulster Bank in September 1916, leaving in 1918 to become a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army (Ireland Republican Army).
He worked with O"Rourke"s Mill and served with the Inniskeen company of the Ireland Republican Army. He was interned by the British in Ballykinlar, County Down in 1921.
He served in the Gardaí from 1922 to 1967. After his retirement he managed Bray Cr Union.
He is buried in Bray, County Wicklow. He was the uncle of the engineer Peter Rice.
His registration number was 2712 indicating that he was recruited in late November 1922.
His early career was spent in the Waterford Division and he was promoted Sergeant on the first of December 1922. He served as clerk to the Chief Superintendent, Waterford Division, and on the first of September 1925, was promoted to the rank of Inspector. On 26 March 1927 he was promoted to Superintendent.
He served in Cahirciveen (County Kerry), Bruff (County Limerick), and in County Wexford.
On the first of Juner 1934 he was promoted to Chief Superintendent and took charge of the Tipperary Division, with its headquarters in Thurles. In 1937 he became Divisional Officer of the Dublin/Wicklow Division.
In 1959 he was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner at Dublin Castle, taking charge of the Dublin Metropolitan Division (Doctor of Medical Dentistry). On appointment as Deputy Commissioner (1962) he was given responsibility for Crime Branch, Garda Headquarters In February 1965 he was appointed Commissioner to succeed Daniel Costigan.
He introduced one-way traffic on Dublin streets in 1966.
He retired on 4 March 1967. He was the first Commissioner to rise through the ranks, a precedent followed by all subsequent Commissioners.
Membership
On 25 September 1968 he was appointed a member of the Conroy Commission – established to report on conditions of service of members of the Garda Síochána.
