A strong sense of pride filled the air on Friday as graduates explained their reasons for joining, with many following in family footsteps, while others were entering in later life out of a sense of profound duty to their communities
Garda Cara Byrne, with her father Mark, graduating in Templemore Garda Training College on Friday. The current strength of An Garda Síochána as of August 22 is 14,408 sworn gardaí.
A 19-year-old woman and a 50-year-old man were among the 154 new gardaí attested as sworn members of An Garda Síochána at Templemore Garda Training College on Friday.
Of the new intake, 122 (79pc) are men, and 32 (21pc) are women, hailing from a variety of countries.