Garda - NON APTITUDE THREAD

LundiMardi

Hello all,

I for quite a few years have been interested in joining the Garda. But have never applied as when the time comes, i want to be 100% certain that's what i want to do, as there's only one chance.

So i'd people to share their experiences and knowledge of the day in the life of a gard.:)

This is soo people like me know what they're getting themselves into, i know the other thread is going on but a few thousand replies is a lot to shift through, plus it's mainly about the aptitued test. Whereas this thread is aimed at the Post-Aptitude Period:p

So, does anyone have any friends or family in the gards, what do they do? do they like it?

Does anyone know what the working conditions are like for a gard, i don't mean physically as in where they're stationed, i mean with regards to how trainees are treated by peers etc? As in, is it civilised, or are you just treated like **** for the first 3 years?

What is the training like? Does anyone have any idea what a normal training day consists of? Is it like school, is it very strict?

Basically ANY info is welcome to give people more of an idea of what to expect.

Thanks.

stevemac

ahh, you can apply as often as you like ,

Madon1

Hi there, I'm married to a guard, we met before he went into Templemore 10 years ago. I don't know how much things have changed in Templemore since then but I know that there are huge numbers of students taken in now. He found the training tough going, he hated the college, he felt as if he was being constantly watched, big difference to the college he had been attending but he stuck with it and it was a very proud day he graduated.
He loves his job, the variety, the oppertunity to meet people, he is a people person, but he hates the politics and beleive me there is an awful lot of it in the guards, I know I wouldn't be able to stick it! i think with regards to promotion and stuff its definatly who you know and not what you know in about 80% of cases.
I really think in order to be a guard you have to have a vocation, truely there are alot of people in the job who are not able to handle it. He has had to do some really s**t scary stuff, he has pulled dead bodies out of the river, go to sudden deaths be it in the home as a result of an accident or suicide, or a fatal car accident, tell people that their loved ones have been killed. He has been involved in investigating some horrific cases of child abuse. He is on the receiving end of dogs abuse from drunk thugs at the weekend, spitting, throwing stuff, calling them names and such. He has been threatened and our family threatened by criminals when he is just following orders and doing his job.We've had to move 100 miles away from our families as guards can't be stationed within 20 miles of their homeplace so thats a bummer but we are settled where we are now.
I do think the job is very clicky though, there is a big drink culture in the guards, I suppose its away to blow off steam at the end of a tough shift. I really think it is a tough job for the women, I wouldn't want my daughter to join, I'm sorry if I'm insulting anyone but I know that the girls I know in the guards have a really really tough job they generally get all the sexual assualt cases, and I think when a thug sees the yellow fluoresent jacket he doesn't care wheter its a male or female its a guard and therefore a target. If that hasn't turned you off....
There are some really good parts to his job as well, he supports and comforts people in their hour of need. He has reunited people who had gone missing with their families. He calls in on elderly people who live alone and has a cuppa with them to keep them company and let them know that someone cares.
The money is good, with overtime might I add, but I still think they don't get paid enough for the job they do. They have two excellent credit unions that provide budget schemes and will help you out in any way they can, excellent health insurance and of course the pension.
As I said I know my husband loves his job and wouldn't change what he does for the world, he does get pissed off at times, don't we all. It can be really frustrating to see the revolving door system with regards to prisons!
I have to say I really admire anyone who is able to do that job and do it well, I know I wouldn't be physically or mentally able for it but obviously it suits some. Guards do an awful lot more than give out traffic fines and we just don't see behind the scenes. Anyway good luck to you in whatever you choose to do, just make sure your healthy & happy isn't that the main thing!;)

danger mouse

Madon1 wrote:

Hi there, I'm married to a guard, we met before he went into Templemore 10 years ago. I don't know how much things have changed in Templemore since then but I know that there are huge numbers of students taken in now. He found the training tough going, he hated the college, he felt as if he was being constantly watched, big difference to the college he had been attending but he stuck with it and it was a very proud day he graduated.
He loves his job, the variety, the oppertunity to meet people, he is a people person, but he hates the politics and beleive me there is an awful lot of it in the guards, I know I wouldn't be able to stick it! i think with regards to promotion and stuff its definatly who you know and not what you know in about 80% of cases.
I really think in order to be a guard you have to have a vocation, truely there are alot of people in the job who are not able to handle it. He has had to do some really s**t scary stuff, he has pulled dead bodies out of the river, go to sudden deaths be it in the home as a result of an accident or suicide, or a fatal car accident, tell people that their loved ones have been killed. He has been involved in investigating some horrific cases of child abuse. He is on the receiving end of dogs abuse from drunk thugs at the weekend, spitting, throwing stuff, calling them names and such. He has been threatened and our family threatened by criminals when he is just following orders and doing his job.We've had to move 100 miles away from our families as guards can't be stationed within 20 miles of their homeplace so thats a bummer but we are settled where we are now.
I do think the job is very clicky though, there is a big drink culture in the guards, I suppose its away to blow off steam at the end of a tough shift. I really think it is a tough job for the women, I wouldn't want my daughter to join, I'm sorry if I'm insulting anyone but I know that the girls I know in the guards have a really really tough job they generally get all the sexual assualt cases, and I think when a thug sees the yellow fluoresent jacket he doesn't care wheter its a male or female its a guard and therefore a target. If that hasn't turned you off....
There are some really good parts to his job as well, he supports and comforts people in their hour of need. He has reunited people who had gone missing with their families. He calls in on elderly people who live alone and has a cuppa with them to keep them company and let them know that someone cares.
The money is good, with overtime might I add, but I still think they don't get paid enough for the job they do. They have two excellent credit unions that provide budget schemes and will help you out in any way they can, excellent health insurance and of course the pension.
As I said I know my husband loves his job and wouldn't change what he does for the world, he does get pissed off at times, don't we all. It can be really frustrating to see the revolving door system with regards to prisons!
I have to say I really admire anyone who is able to do that job and do it well, I know I wouldn't be physically or mentally able for it but obviously it suits some. Guards do an awful lot more than give out traffic fines and we just don't see behind the scenes. Anyway good luck to you in whatever you choose to do, just make sure your healthy & happy isn't that the main thing!;)

That was a great post. Thanks for the in sight into the job. I think I'd really enjoy the challenging part of the job. Well worth it in the in.

TheNog

My dad is a retired Garda now and he was stationed in a small village for 20yrs leading up to his retirement. I grew up in one of those houses that are attached to the station and while I had a good childhood there were also times I had it hard. I got alot of abuse from other kids about the fact that my dad was a copper and for a long time i hated him for it. I rebelled in my teenage years and broke the law a couple of times and was almost driven to the brink of suicide.
It was only when i was 18/19yrs old that the same people who slagged me off for so long told me that my dad was the soundest person they had ever met. A few of them said they would be in prison if he hadn't given them the chance in life that they needed. He had a way of dealing with small crime arrest warrant was to act as a kind of mediator between the victim and the perpetrator. They would come to an agreement where the criminal would work to pay off the victim or something similar, in essence to repay society. But if push came to shove he was one man you could count on.
From there on our relationship improved greatly and while we could get closer we are both happy. It is because of him that I have applied for the Guards right now and i hope to get it. When I asked him his thoughts on the job were, and trust me he had some scary **** happen to him during his 30yrs service just as Madon1 describes above, he said he would do it all over again if he could. His time in the guards were the best of his life.

bob04

This is great stuff.. keep it coming!!!

TheNog

anyone who is thinking of applying for the guards or is already in the guards and would like promotion take this advice. Use your contacts wherever you can. I know it is awful to say but you will not get anywhere unless you have some connections in senior management.