51-year-old graduates from Garda College

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

The oldest ever recruit to graduate from the Garda College has encouraged other people his age to “go for it”.

Jeremiah Burke, 51, said he wanted to join the gardaí when he was younger but missed the opportunity.

He said he recognises it is going to be a “tough job”, but said: “You’re never too old.

“If you’re able, why not? Give it a go. I’d say to anybody out there, if you want to go for it – go for it.”

He added: “I’ve done it, anyone can do it.”

Mr Burke said he had always had hope that he could become a garda, so re-applied when the recruiting age limit increased from 35 to 50 at the start of last year.

He was within that age range when he applied.

“I was in the retail business and wanted to give that a chance, but unfortunately as time goes fast the closing date for the competition passed me by.”

He added: “I didn’t miss the bus time – and here I am attesting today at a later stage.”

He said it was “not easy” and “a bit daunting” to go through the training alongside younger recruit, but said he was supported by his wife and two children as well as all those at the College.

He was one of 194 gardaí attesting from the Templemore Garda College in Co Tipperary on Friday.

Among them, Garda Amy Ní Riada was eager to get “stuck in” after trading in a career in the media to join An Garda Síochána.

The former RTÉ journalist, from Castleisland in Co Kerry, said she developed a taste for working in high-pressure environments and a role with variety.

She was inspired to join the gardaí seeing the response to the November 2023 riots in Dublin.

“It was an eye opener for me that I wanted to be stuck in and got involved in that way.”

Ms Ní Riada, who will be stationed in Midleton, Co Cork, also said being in An Garda Síochána was perfect” for her desire to work with the most vulnerable people in society, having previously reported on climate change, social issues and violence against women in east Africa.

They were among 164 new gardaí and 17 garda reserves attesting from the Garda College in Templemore on Friday.

It is the largest single attestation of new gardaí since 2019 and the college will also see its largest class of recruits in a decade enter next week.

Garda Kristina Courtney also left a career in communications and media production to join the gardaí.

She said she was inspired to join after getting an insight into the operations of An Garda Siochana by working on RTÉ’s Crimecall programme.

Part of her role involved making actors “look like the bad guys”.

Asked how she felt about dealing with real bad guys, she replied: “I’m up for the challenge.”

Dubliner Adam O’Rourke said he joined An Garda Síochána because he wanted a career where he could help people and challenge himself.

Garda O’Rourke, from Walkinston, previously served with the Defence Forces in Lebanon.

Now being stationed in Blackrock, Dublin, he said he was happy to start making a difference in the community: “It is a fantastic day, I couldn’t be happier.”

Speaking at the Garda College, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “It is a great honour to be here in Templemore today to witness the continued growth of An Garda Siochana and to welcome its newest members.

“Over a hundred years after it was first established, An Garda Síochána continues to thrive because it grows and adapts with the times.”

Of the 194 attesting on Friday, 137 are men and 57 are women and the new probationers will be assigned to divisions across the country by the Garda Commissioner.

Of the new gardaí, 87 will be deployed across the Dublin Metropolitan Region, with 47 going to the Southern Region, 39 to the Eastern Region and 21 to North Western Region.

Commissioner Justin Kelly met some of those graduating and, speaking at the ceremony, said: “Today is a proud day. A day to celebrate with your family and loved ones.

“A day to take stock of all it has taken to get you to this point. Today marks the start of your new career in An Garda Síochána.”