The Fianna Fáil Mayor of Clare is to boycott the forthcoming commemoration service for the Royal Irish Constabulary, describing the event as "historical revisionism gone too far".

Cathal Crowe, who is also a Fianna Fáil general election candidate, was invited by Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan to attend the 17 January service.

However, he said it is "wrong to celebrate and eulogise" the RIC, "an organisation that was the strong-arm of the British state in Ireland".

The commemoration is being held to remember members who served in the RIC and the Dublin Metropolitan Police prior to independence.

It will take place in Dublin Castle.

Both Mr Flanagan and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris are due to address the event.

In a statement, Mr Crowe said he studied history for four years at the University of Limerick and blogs regularly about local history.

He is also a member of the War of Independence Commemoration Committee in his parish of Meelick-Parteen.

"In the main, I think all of the Government's State commemorations have been apt and tasteful, but I see the commemoration of the RIC as a step too far," he said.

"I don't hold any ill feeling towards the individual men who served in the RIC Division of Clare - many of them were decent people who were guided by the their strong civic and law-abiding principles.

"I do, however, think it's wrong to celebrate and eulogise (I consider "commemorate" to be a verb with positive connotations) an organisation that was the strong-arm of the British state in Ireland.

"The RIC joined army and auxiliaries (Black & Tans) in search parties and raids that resulted in our country-people being killed/tortured or having their homes torched. In the 1800s the RIC were present with battering rams as poor Irish tenants were forcefully evicted from their ramshackle homes."

He also said he has an issue with An Garda Síochána being central to the event.

"The guards have my full and utmost respect but I don't believe that, historically or ethically, they should seek to claim any form of descent from the RIC.

"The Irish Defence Forces see themselves as a totally distinct organisation from the British army."

Describing the commemoration as "an overstretch," the Mayor of Clare added: "It's also historical revisionism gone too far".