Ireland State apology set for 1983 murder of prison officer in Dublin
Brian Stack, chief prison officer on the paramilitary wing of Portlaoise Prison, was shot in the neck by members of the Provisional IRA outside the National Stadium in Dublin on 25 March 1983 after leaving a boxing match, and died from his injuries in September 1984. No one has been convicted of the attack, though the IRA accepted responsibility in 2013. Three separate Garda investigations were carried out, with key evidence mislaid and a 2009 Cold Case review identifying 198 inadequacies. On 21 October 2026, Taoiseach Micheál Martin will deliver a formal State apology in the Dáil for the mishandling of the investigations.
- Reported29 Mar
- Arrested
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Brian Stack, chief prison officer on the paramilitary wing of Portlaoise Prison, was shot in the neck by members of the Provisional IRA outside the National Stadium in Dublin on 25 March 1983 after leaving a boxing match.
- Stack died from his injuries in September 1984, leaving a wife and three young sons.
- Cause
- The IRA accepted responsibility for the killing in 2013, describing it as not a sanctioned operation.
- Investigation
- Three separate Garda investigations were carried out, with key evidence including a motorbike helmet and fingerprints mislaid.
- A 2009 Cold Case review found 198 inadequacies, while the Serious Crime Review Team found 194 errors and omissions in the original investigations.
- Gardaí are following two or three new lines of enquiry and have issued an alert for an IRA suspect.
- In court
- The file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions in July 2019.
- Taoiseach Micheál Martin will deliver a formal State apology in the Dáil on 21 October 2026 for the mishandling of the investigations.
- Other details
- No one has been convicted of the attack.
- The Garda Commissioner issued a public apology to the family in July 2019 for the failings of the investigations.
44 statements extracted from the articles
- whatBrian Stack was shot in the neck by members of the IRA outside the National Stadium in Dublin on 25 March 1983. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whatBrian Stack died from his injuries in September 1984. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whatBrian Stack was the chief prison officer working on the paramilitary wing of Portlaoise Prison in 1983. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whatThe shooting left him paralysed and brain damaged. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whatHe died from his injuries within 18 months, leaving a wife and three young sons. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whatBrian Stack, a Portlaoise prison officer, was murdered. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whereStack was shot after leaving a boxing match in Dublin. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whenHe had travelled from Laois to a boxing match at the National Stadium in Dublin in March 1983. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whenStack was shot in 1983 and died 18 months later. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whenBrian Stack was shot outside the National Stadium in Dublin on 25 March 1983 (leinsterexpress.ie)
- causeHe was shot outside the venue by an IRA gunman after leaving the match. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- causeThe IRA has admitted to killing Brian Stack. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- causeThe attack was carried out by members of the Provisional IRA. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationGardaí are following two or three new lines of enquiry in the case. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationKey evidence including a motorbike helmet and fingerprints from the scene was mislaid and gardaí have been unable to locate them. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationA Garda Cold Case review in 2008 or 2009 made a large number of recommendations in relation to the investigation. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationThe case has been handled by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationGardaí are probing the murder of prison officer Brian Stack. (extra.ie)
- investigationGardaí have issued an alert for an IRA suspect. (extra.ie)
- investigationThe initial Garda investigation seemed to go nowhere, and the family was not kept updated until 2006. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationThe family received information from a journalist that physical evidence and fingerprints from the initial investigation had been recovered. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationGardaí admitted holding the evidence but said they had mislaid it, and started a new cold case investigation that yielded 296 recommendations. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationIn 2012 Gardaí told the family they did not believe the IRA was responsible. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationThe Gardaí continue to investigate the murder. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationThree separate garda investigations have taken place into the murder. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationA 2009 Cold Case review found 198 inadequacies in the original investigation. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationThe Garda Commissioner issued a public apology to the family over the mishandling of garda investigations. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationThe Serious Crime Review Team found 194 errors and omissions in the original investigations (leinsterexpress.ie)
- courtThe file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions in July 2019. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- courtThe Stack family will receive a formal State apology in the Dáil on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (leinsterexpress.ie)
- courtTaoiseach Micheál Martin will deliver the apology in the Dáil (leinsterexpress.ie)
- courtThe family will have a private meeting with the Taoiseach and Minister for Justice at noon in Government Buildings before the Dáil apology at about 1.30 pm (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe assailants escaped on a motorbike. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherHe left behind his wife and three young sons. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe Garda Commissioner wrote to the Stack family putting on record the verbal apology he gave on 10 July 2019 regarding shortcomings in the handling of the case. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherIn 2013 the family met an IRA representative, who gave them an admission but said it was not a sanctioned operation. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe Garda Commissioner apologised to the family in 2019 for the failings of the current and previous investigations. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherAustin Stack's new book, Justice For My Father, is an account of his ongoing quest for justice. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe family is calling for a full State apology. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherNo one has ever been convicted of the attack (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe IRA has accepted responsibility for the killing (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherA bronze bust was erected in Brian Stack's memory at the Irish Prison Service College in Portlaoise, named Brian Stack House (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe family suspects some informants may have been involved in planning and taking part in the attack and that the State was protecting them (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherFormer Garda Commissioner Drew Harris issued an apology to the family in July 2019 (leinsterexpress.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 19 Oct2026Son of murdered Laois Prison Officer urges Mary Lou McDonald to help find justice
Reports that Taoiseach Micheál Martin will deliver a formal State apology in the Dáil on 21 October 2026 for the failings in three separate Garda investigations into Brian Stack's 1983 murder. The Serious Crime Review Team found 194 errors and omissions in the original investigations. Austin Stack urged Mary Lou McDonald to ask people within Sinn Féin to go to gardaí with information they have, and the family suspects informants may have been involved in planning the attack.
victim, Brian Stack, male, irish (judged from name)Brian Stack - 14 May2025Full State apology sought by family of murdered Portlaoise Prison Officer
Family seeks a full State apology ahead of a meeting with Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan. Covers the 1983 killing and criticism of three garda investigations, including a 2009 Cold Case review and a 2019 public apology from the Garda Commissioner.
victim, Brian Stack, male, irish (judged from name)Brian Stack - 28 Feb2025Murdered Laois prison officer's family's fight for justice told in Portlaoise man's in new book
Feature on Austin Stack's book Justice For My Father, published 13 March by Bonnier Books. Adds the family's account of the Garda investigations, the IRA's 2013 admission, and the Garda Commissioner's 2019 apology.
victim, Brian Stack, male, irish (judged from name)Brian Stacksuspect - 10 Dec2023Gardaí probing murder of prison officer Brian Stack issue alert for IRA suspect
Headline only: gardaí are probing the murder of Brian Stack and have issued an alert for an IRA suspect. The article body contains no other details.
victim, Brian Stack, irish (judged from name)Brian Stacksuspect - 29 Mar2023Renewed hope over new leads in Portlaoise Prison Officer murder probe
Reports on a meeting between the Stack family and gardaí where they were updated on new lines of enquiry, the DPP not recommending no prosecution, the Garda Commissioner's written apology of 10 July 2019, and the misplacement of key evidence including a motorbike helmet and fingerprints.
victim, Brian Stack, male, irish (judged from name)Brian Stacksuspect