These brave gardai say the job is worth doing despite facing unsociable hours, abuse and violence almost every day.
As the force launches a new recruitment campaign, the Mirror got to speak one-on-one with several members of An Garda Siochana about their experience as a guard, and whether they’d recommend the arduous job to anyone
One of those officers included Garda Steven Carton from Dun Laoghaire Garda Station - who recently made headlines when it emerged he had saved two people from a burning building in Monkstown, South Co Dublin.
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“Recently enough I ran into a house to save two people in Monkstown. That was a clear example of the random nature of the job in that it was just ‘Jesus a house is on fire’ and it was just straight in,” he said.
Garda Carton, who has been a member for just over a year now, says the job is dangerous - and it is always on his mind that he gets home safely to his family every night.
“We do often run into danger, and for myself personally, I’ve got two young kids and my main objective is just to get home.
“So you are relying on your team. Being on a unit you build a lot of relationships and it becomes a small family really at the end of the day. You’re there for each other in those times.”
Garda Carton says in spite of all of that he always knew he wanted to be a guard.
“It’s something I really wanted to do. I suppose I had a different career path before this but I always wanted to be in the guards.
“I’m delighted to get in at this stage.”
Garda Eddie Hammond, who was originally a police officer in the UK, also admitted that the job is quite challenging - but something in him knew it was what he wanted to do.
“I always wanted to get into policing. So I grew up in London and I joined the police there, came over and joined the guards. It’s always something I’ve been interested in.
“It is challenging but it’s different. Everyday is different, every minute is different.”
And Garda Hammond, who joined the force in 2019, says in that time he’s faced many life or death challenges.
“There’s been a few tough incidents. Some of them are still going through the courts but in general it does happen.
“You wouldn't expect every day coming in fighting for your life or with someone or whatever else, but there are incidents and in those times your colleagues are there for you and do help you through it.
“I’ve only been in four years but the amount of times I’ve had to perform CPR and such. One lady in particular, it was 40 plus minutes before an ambulance could show up and that’s draining on you mentally.
“You go home and think about it but the support is there,” he said.
Both gardai say if someone is already thinking about joining the guards then that may be all they need.
“You’re halfway there if you think ‘I would like to do that or try that. You get the training and the skills you need to develop in Templemore and on the job. The support continues on after that.”
Garda Jay O’Neill, who works in Dublin Airport says he joined the force for variety - and says the often unsociable hours are simply part of the job.
“I would say variety is a big thing. I know its kind of one of those cliché sayings before you join but it is a big factor in it.
“Apart from the fact that every day is different, you don’t know what you’re going to meet, you could have a day where not a whole lot happens and have a day where you don’t get a minute to sit down have your lunch or coffee.
“That happens more regularly than not. But then when you’re actually in the job there’s so many specialised areas you can get into.
“You can go up the ranks, or if you're not ready for that sidestep into different units.”
Inspector Laura Dragoi, who works in Enniscorthy Garda Station, also feels the same way.
“My role has changed totally I’d say from Sergeant to Inspector it's a big difference. I have to manage my unit, make sure they’re ok from all point of view.
“I have to prosecute cases in court and fight the good fight with all the barristers and the solicitors.
“I’ve been doing this for the last 14 and a half years and most of my service has been the rosters, the shift work. So you do get used to it.”
Also speaking to us was Garda Dong Dong Zheng who is based out of Swords Garda Station.
"Years ago before becoming a garda I was working in a bank for a couple of years and I just found that I was repeating my work every day.
"You deal with the same thing over and over again and you don't have any interaction with the community.
"So I'm the kind of person that's very outgoing and I like getting involved and talking to people and helping people. especially the local community.
"In the guards I can do that and every day is different. There's no two days that are identical," she said.
Gardai officially launched the 2023 Garda Recruitment Competition opened on March 24 with a promotional campaign under the tagline of "It’s A Job Worth Doing”.
The campaign is currently live across TV, national and local print and radio, online, social media, and outdoor advertising.
Any person interested in making an application for a career in An Garda Síochána can apply online at www.publicjobs.ie until 3pm on the 14th April 2023.
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