Joining

Nacie Rice – Joined aged at 18 years of age – Templemore in 1972

MR. O'BRIEN:  It is the 19th of October 2021, and this is a recording of an interview that took place between Martin Drew of the GSRMA the Garda Síochána Retired Members Association in conjunction with the Oral History Project being run by that Association. He is...
Photograph of Patrick Campbell and wife Elizabeth at Dundrum, Dublin

Patrick Campbell – FIRST STATION

Interviewed on 12th October 1977   Patrick Campbell was born in Aughrim in County Galway on 26th January 1902. He joined An Garda Síochána on the 25th March 1922 and served in the force until the May 1956. He passed away in December 1979, just two years after he...

Patrick Campbell – SOMETHING LIKE THE RIC

Interviewed on 12th October 1977 Patrick Campbell was born in Aughrim in County Galway on 26th January 1902. He joined An Garda Síochána on the 25th March 1922 and served in the force until May 1956. He passed away in December 1979, just two years after he was...

Patrick Campbell – NOW WEARING THE UNIFORM

Interviewed on 12th October 1977   Patrick Campbell was born in Aughrim in County Galway in January 1902. He joined An Garda Síochána on the 25th March 1922 and served in the force until May 1956. He was one of the earliest members of An Garda Síocána (registered...

Brendan Walsh – POSTED TO KILMAINHAM

Interviewed 7 July 2021 In this piece of audio, Brendan Walsh, a native of Dublin reflects on his first posting as a Garda to Kilmainham. He outlines his early experiences as a Garda and the insights he gained into Dublin life, which he had not been aware of prior to...

Eamon Hession – EARLY LIFE AND JOINING AGS

Interviewed 18 June 2021   Eamon Hession is a retired Sergeant and native of Mayo. Here, he briefly outlines his background and explains how he became a member of An Garda Siochána. MS. DELANEY: So Eamon, if it's okay with you, I will start by asking you where...

Joining The Force

For retired members of An Garda Síochána, the decision to join the organisation and the experience of those early days of training and becoming a Garda, are some of the most important and memorable.  Here, retired members of AGS, reflect on the various motives to...
Photograph of John O'Brien

John O’Brien Interviewed 2020 TRAINING DAYS IN TEMPLEMORE

Interviewed 2020 John O'Brien from Ballinhassig in Cork joined the Gardaí in 1968. On retiring almost 40 years later in 2006, he had reached the rank of Detective Chief Superintendent. He had also been Head of the National Office for Interpol and Europol. This...
Photograph of Patrick Campbell and wife Elizabeth at Dundrum, Dublin

Patrick Campell – A NEW FORCE

Interviewed 11 October 1977 Patrick Campbell was born in Aughrim in County Galway on 26th January 1902. He joined An Garda Síochána on the 25th March 1922 and served in the force until the 3rd May 1956. He passed away on the 2nd December 1979, just two years after he...

Matt Cosgrave – FROM CARNA TO THE GARDA DEPOT IN DUBLIN

Interviewed 27 September 2021 Retired Superintendent Matt Cosgrave speaks to the Capturing Our History Oral History Project about his memories of his time and his career in An Garda Siochána, which began in 1959. Matt is also a past president of our organisation, that...
Photograph of John O'Brien taking names

John O Brien – GUARDIANS IN HISTORY

22/12/2022 John O’Brien from Ballinhassig in Cork joined the Gardaí in 1968. On retiring almost 40 years later in 2006, he had reached the rank of Detective Chief Superintendent. He had also been Head of the National Office for Interpol and Europol. This recording was...

Garvan Ware – JOINING AN GARDA SÍOCHÁNA

Interviewed 17 June 2021 In this piece of audio, Retired Detective Garda Garvan Ware speaks about his decision to join An Garda Síóchána. He reflects on the Gardaí he knew from his youth and also notes that his father, was a member of AGS in the 1940s and 1950s. RITA...
Eamon Hession

Eamon Hession – FIRST STATION AND ADVICE OF SENIOR GARDAÍ

Interviewed 18 June 2021 In this section, retired Sergeant Eamon Hession speaks about his first station in Dun Laoghaire, where he was posted in 1972. He recalls the advice he got from senior gardaí and that which he applied throughout his career. MS. DELANEY: So what...

Catherine Clancy – Retired Assistant Commissioner

Interviewed 25 October 2021 JOINING AN GARDA SÍÓCHÁNA Catherine Clancy was the first woman to be appointed an Assistant Commissioner in An Garda Síochána on 10 September 2003. A native of Donegal, she joined AGS in 1975 and enjoyed steady promotion through the ranks....

Women in the Garda – First in 1959

In July 1959, following a long-running campaign by civic groups, twelve women joined An Garda Siochána and were allocated to Pearse Street Station. Since then, women have made a crucial contribution to the organisation.  There are currently almost 4,000 females...
Photograph of Rita DELANEY

Rita Delaney – I GOT A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD ONE DAY AND I APPLIED TO JOIN THE GARDA SÍOCHÁNA.’

Rita Delaney  Interviewed  15 April 2021 ‘I GOT A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD ONE DAY AND I APPLIED TO JOIN THE GARDA SÍOCHÁNA.’ Inspector Rita Delaney is a retired member of An Garda Siochána. A native of Laois, Rita joined the Gardaí in 1984 and spent three...
Photograph of Catherine Bartley with dog

Catherine Bartley – ‘I HADN’T TOLD ANYBODY THAT I WAS AFTER APPLYING FOR THE GUARDS’

Interviewed on 1 October 2021 Garda Catherine Bartley joined An Garda Síochána in 1987 and retired in 2019, having worked in various sections of the force, latterly the Dog Unit, where she spent many years and became well known for her work with Garda dogs. Catherine...

Brendan Walsh – JOINING AN GARDA SÍOCHÁNA

Interviewed 7 July 2021 In this piece of audio, Brendan Walsh, a native of Dublin speaks about his decision to join An Garda Síóchána in 1982. He reflects on the influence of a local Guard who encouraged him to join the force when he was a young man. Brendan also...

Patrick Campbell – FIRST STATION

Interviewed on 12th October 1977   Patrick Campbell was born in Aughrim in County Galway on 26th January 1902. He joined An Garda Síochána on the 25th March 1922 and served in the force until the May 1956. He passed away in December 1979, just two years after he...

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Patrick Campbell – SOMETHING LIKE THE RIC

Interviewed on 12th October 1977 Patrick Campbell was born in Aughrim in County Galway on 26th January 1902. He joined An Garda Síochána on the 25th March 1922 and served in the force until May 1956. He passed away in December 1979, just two years after he was...

read more

Patrick Campbell – NOW WEARING THE UNIFORM

Interviewed on 12th October 1977   Patrick Campbell was born in Aughrim in County Galway in January 1902. He joined An Garda Síochána on the 25th March 1922 and served in the force until May 1956. He was one of the earliest members of An Garda Síocána (registered...

read more

Brendan Walsh – POSTED TO KILMAINHAM

Interviewed 7 July 2021 In this piece of audio, Brendan Walsh, a native of Dublin reflects on his first posting as a Garda to Kilmainham. He outlines his early experiences as a Garda and the insights he gained into Dublin life, which he had not been aware of prior to...

read more

Eamon Hession – EARLY LIFE AND JOINING AGS

Interviewed 18 June 2021   Eamon Hession is a retired Sergeant and native of Mayo. Here, he briefly outlines his background and explains how he became a member of An Garda Siochána. MS. DELANEY: So Eamon, if it's okay with you, I will start by asking you where...

read more

Joining The Force

For retired members of An Garda Síochána, the decision to join the organisation and the experience of those early days of training and becoming a Garda, are some of the most important and memorable.  Here, retired members of AGS, reflect on the various motives to...

read more

Patrick Campell – A NEW FORCE

Interviewed 11 October 1977 Patrick Campbell was born in Aughrim in County Galway on 26th January 1902. He joined An Garda Síochána on the 25th March 1922 and served in the force until the 3rd May 1956. He passed away on the 2nd December 1979, just two years after he...

read more

Matt Cosgrave – FROM CARNA TO THE GARDA DEPOT IN DUBLIN

Interviewed 27 September 2021 Retired Superintendent Matt Cosgrave speaks to the Capturing Our History Oral History Project about his memories of his time and his career in An Garda Siochána, which began in 1959. Matt is also a past president of our organisation, that...

read more

John O Brien – GUARDIANS IN HISTORY

22/12/2022 John O’Brien from Ballinhassig in Cork joined the Gardaí in 1968. On retiring almost 40 years later in 2006, he had reached the rank of Detective Chief Superintendent. He had also been Head of the National Office for Interpol and Europol. This recording was...

read more

Garvan Ware – JOINING AN GARDA SÍOCHÁNA

Interviewed 17 June 2021 In this piece of audio, Retired Detective Garda Garvan Ware speaks about his decision to join An Garda Síóchána. He reflects on the Gardaí he knew from his youth and also notes that his father, was a member of AGS in the 1940s and 1950s. RITA...

read more

Eamon Hession – FIRST STATION AND ADVICE OF SENIOR GARDAÍ

Interviewed 18 June 2021 In this section, retired Sergeant Eamon Hession speaks about his first station in Dun Laoghaire, where he was posted in 1972. He recalls the advice he got from senior gardaí and that which he applied throughout his career. MS. DELANEY: So what...

read more

Catherine Clancy – Retired Assistant Commissioner

Interviewed 25 October 2021 JOINING AN GARDA SÍÓCHÁNA Catherine Clancy was the first woman to be appointed an Assistant Commissioner in An Garda Síochána on 10 September 2003. A native of Donegal, she joined AGS in 1975 and enjoyed steady promotion through the ranks....

read more

Women in the Garda – First in 1959

In July 1959, following a long-running campaign by civic groups, twelve women joined An Garda Siochána and were allocated to Pearse Street Station. Since then, women have made a crucial contribution to the organisation.  There are currently almost 4,000 females...

read more

Brendan Walsh – JOINING AN GARDA SÍOCHÁNA

Interviewed 7 July 2021 In this piece of audio, Brendan Walsh, a native of Dublin speaks about his decision to join An Garda Síóchána in 1982. He reflects on the influence of a local Guard who encouraged him to join the force when he was a young man. Brendan also...

read more

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