Mayo garda officer hails 'life-changing' career choice
by Caoimhín Rowland
A young garda who swapped factory work for policing has urged others to consider joining An Garda Síochána as the force launches its latest recruitment campaign with an attractive €37,311 starting salary for successful candidates.
Garda Ciara Brennan, currently stationed in Castlebar, spoke about her journey from a routine 9-to-5 job to a career that has exceeded her expectations.
"I was working in a factory in Sligo before I got into this and I just thought 'is this it?' I wanted something more from life, and the job has been everything I could have wished for and more," she told The Connaught Telegraph.
The Sligo native's endorsement comes as An Garda Síochána announces its 2025 recruitment competition, which runs until February 27.
The campaign, operating under the tagline ‘It's a Job Worth Doing’, seeks to attract candidates from diverse backgrounds to join the force's ranks.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris noted the varied nature of the role, describing it as "exciting, challenging and rewarding, where no two days look the same."
He made a particular appeal to women and underrepresented communities to consider applying, stating: "We are a good employer, and we offer really worthwhile work."
The recruitment package includes an innovative training programme where candidates earn while they learn. Trainees receive €354 weekly during their 36-week training period at the Garda College in Templemore, with accommodation and meals provided from Monday to Friday.
Ciara, who completed her training at Templemore, praised the support provided during the programme.
"You're well looked after as students in the Garda College. You get all your meals paid for and attend class from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.," she said, adding that she maintains close friendships with colleagues she met during training.
The programme leads to a Level 7 Bachelor of Arts Degree in Applied Policing, accredited by the University of Limerick.
Following the initial 36-week training period, officers complete their degree during a two-year probationary period in active service.
Since recruitment resumed in December 2022, nearly 1,500 trainees have commenced training, with almost 1,000 already attested as full members of the force.
The next intake of garda trainees will be attested on March 7, followed by a fresh intake three days later.
Benefits include access to overtime payments, flexible working options, medical aid schemes, and a Fast Accrual Pension Scheme. Officers working the core 12-hour shift roster receive additional allowances on top of their base salary.
For Ciara, however, the greatest rewards are less tangible. "The colleagues are the best part of the job, as is interacting with the public. You never know what you're going to get from one day to the next," she said.
“It’s so rewarding meeting in particular members of the elderly community here in Mayo. We might be the only people they feel they can reach out to and it’s great to know that we can be there for them,” she added.