Carlow Sergeant Conor Egan from retires after 33 years’ service
Sergeant Conor Egan with his wife Pauline and children, Faith and Josh, at his retirement party after a 33-year career in An Garda Siochána Photo: Michael O’Rourke Photography
“YOU do something good, it could be a little thing for somebody: the little rewards, the little wins, make it all worthwhile,” said Sergeant Conor Egan as he retired from An Garda Síochána after 33 years of public service.
The north Kerry native went to train in Templemore “as a raw 20-year-old’’ in August 1993 and was attested into the gardaí on 27 October 1994. His first appointment was at Kildare Town Garda Station, where he spent seven years before being transferred to Carlow. He was promoted to sergeant in 2006 and did short stints in Clonmel and Naas before transferring to Bagenalstown in late 2007. There, he spent seven “very, very happy years” before coming back to “the bright lights of Carlow” in January 2014.
He said his career highlight is the eight years spent as a community policing sergeant after the unit was set up in 2018. “One of the most rewarding aspects was the opportunity to engage with so many different communities, schools, voluntary groups, sporting organisations and local agencies right across the county of Carlow,” he reflected.
The importance of the unit became abundantly clear during the pandemic when Conor and his colleagues became “community guardians,” delivering shopping, prescriptions or a newspaper to those who were self-isolating. “We got back into communities that maybe we hadn't been in for a long time,” said Conor.
Over his three decades of policing, he has seen how technology has transformed the profession and how demands on gardaí have increased. “The oversight and the responsibilities, the expectations, the demands, the stress levels definitely have increased,” he said, but noted the negatives are offset by the reward in helping people.
Paying tribute to his long time colleague, Superintendent Anthony Farrell said: "I have been fortunate enough to complete nearly all my career, shoulder shoulder with Sergeant Conor Egan, a consummate policeman. Conor set up the Community Engagement Team here in Carlow in 2018 and in his career has made an exceptional contribution to the community here in Co Carlow. He leaves a strong visible footprint behind which will provide foundations for future pathways with all our communities. Policing has many different faces but at its core, it is a partnership with communities. Conor epitomised this togetherness solving problems through people. On behalf of all uniform, plain clothes and Garda support teams in County Carlow, I thank Conor for his 33 years public service. I wish Conor, Pauline, Josh, Faith, Mom Doreeen and extended family every health and happiness together in his next chapter.”
Speaking to Conor said: “I thoroughly enjoyed meeting people from all walks of life and seeing first-hand the tremendous community spirit that exists right throughout Carlow,” he said. Conor is planning to take the summer off to reset and ease back into civilian life but has several job opportunities to explore in September.
He sincerely thanked the organisations and individuals whose “co-operation and goodwill” made his job “fulfilling and worthwhile”. He further noted his family’s “unwavering support” during his career, as “policing often demands sacrifices from those closest to us.” He wished his former colleagues “continued success” and thanked them “for their support, their professionalism and their camaraderie throughout my career.”
“I definitely retire with immense pride, gratitude and many, many happy memories,” said Conor.
