Garda Reserve Force - (See Moderator note in first post #1)

hi, im really interested in joining the garda reserves cause i would love to join the garda full time eventually but would like to get a taste of it first, only problem is i failed my maths leaving cert and am considering going back and doing it again. has anyone done this to join the reserves and if so did they do foundation or pass and where?

barneycotter wrote: »

Well I resat my Irish this year to apply in foundation u ave to get over c3 or over. I'm half way through the process so fingers crossed

cool thanks, well done

leddpipe wrote: »

I bloody wish :mad:

How long are you waiting now?

kerry4sam wrote: »

How long are you waiting now?

February!
Not as long as others I know, but long enough for me! :rolleyes:

kerry4sam wrote: »

Going by what some candidates who post here say with their time-frame, 1 year seems to be the average. If the next in-take is in-fact March, then both you & I would be pretty damn near that 12-month mark at that stage.

I cant believe you forgot about me kerry4sam!!!!!! haha, Next February ill be at the 2 years mark just waiting on background checks!!! I don't mind once the medical comes at some stage!!:D:D:D:D:D;);););)

EGOSHEA wrote: »

haha its looking true tho.....!!!!!!!!!:D:D:D:D

Tommy-Kerry wrote: »

I cant believe you forgot about me kerry4sam!!!!!! haha, Next February ill be at the 2 years mark just waiting on background checks!!! I don't mind once the medical comes at some stage!!:D:D:D:D:D;);););)

ah jakers tommy, I couldn't forget ya . I was only referring to the average waiting-time and that leddpipe and meself were around the same time-frame. I wouldn't forget a fellow Kerry-candidate.


*waves to dk47* ... anymore from Kerry out there?

Good luck to all those going to the graduation tomorrow!

TheWestsAwake wrote: »

Was just wondering if the hours for the Garda reserves would be unsuitable for someone who was a nurse. I'm not contemplating the Garda reserves right now maybe in 6 years time when I qualify and have a few years under my belt.

I wear glasses, how good/bad can your eyesight be to join. Can you wear glasses on duty?

You can arrange with those in charge at your station which times would suit you - they explicitly state that they make an effort to allocate duties to reserves taking their work commitments into account.

As far as I know, you can wear glasses as opposed to contact lenses. The requirement for eyesight is that it be not less than 6/18, 6/18 correctable to 6/9, 6/12 & you can't be colourblind. I think that what this means - but I'm open to correction - is as follows. The baseline for 'good vision' is 20/20. A person can have better vision than this but it basically means that someone who is 6/9, for instance, needs to stand 6 feet away to see clearly an object/figure which someone with 20/20 vision could be standing 9 feet away from to see clearly. Check this requirement with your optician - they'll probably be able to tell you if you meet this requirement based on your file rather than you having to pay for another test. There are two values required for each eye. One is how good your vision is without any lenses of any sort (6/18, 6/18). I think this means that, without your glasses, you need to be able to see something from 6 feet which someoe with 20/20 vision could see from 18 feet. The other (corrected) figure relates to how good your vision needs to be with appropriate correction, i.e. with glasses or contact lenses - and that's 6/9, 6/12.


Hope this helps.

Got my letter confirming my interview next tuesday. Kinda nervous now I hope they don't throw any tricky questions my way..

Tommy-Kerry wrote: »

Dont worry about it, try not to be nervous, i no that it isnt easy tho, You'll get some tricky questions alright but just be prepared, be yourself, be honest, and you will do just fine!

Thanks Tommy-Kerry.. (what would I do without the members on this forum) You've all been very helpful..

Now.. here;s the thing.. my voluntary/community involvement consists of this:

Organising a charity concert a few years ago and bein in the paper an all etc making a donation - playing a little bit of Gaelic football when I was younger.

That's really all I've done as I've been quite busy, but I see the GR as my opportunity to do community work, wonder will I be rejected on this basis? I'm pretty sure I would make a good GR in all other categories though?

Whats the fitness test (if any) for GR? Is it just a medical and a day or two in templemore doing baton/circuit training?

I'm very strong, from 3 years weightlifting and I do running and spinning too (should do more though), wonder if my level of fitness is good enough.

Tommy-Kerry wrote: »

Hey, if i was you id join the civil defence of some voluntry organisation as the interview is really syructured around community involvement/voluntry organisation involvment. Don't get me wrong what you have done is absoluetly great and they will see that, but they like to to be doing more voluntary work.

From what i said above, dont get down over it, if possible join a voluntary organisation, and make sure you explain to them about the concert ect...d make them know what a good person you really are.

There is no fitness test for the GR, just the medical test, see info bellow,

What are the physical requirements?
Successful candidates at stages one and two of the selection process will also be required to undergo an exacting medical exam by a Registered Medical Practitioner nominated by the Garda Commissioner. Such candidates must be of good mental and bodily health and free from any defect or abnormality likely to interfere with the efficient performance of their duties.

Any of the following examples of medical conditions may be a bar to passing the medical exam:

• Defective Vision: the vision standard required of a Garda trainee is not less than 6/18, 6/18 (correctable to 6/9, 6/12) unaided by glasses or contact lenses, with normal colour vision.
• Varicose veins
• Being overweight
• Albumenuria
• Dental Caries
• Defective Hearing
• Hypertension

If your doing that much training you will have no problem passing the medical test, ive heard its thourgh but not two bad but be weary about the BMI ( Body Mass Index) it has to be 30 or under, in most circumstances if its over 30 you probly will fail.

At the end of the day i think you would make a great GR and hope you will get on well with the interview and i hope ive helped you some bit.;):D:D:D

Great thanks again Tommy-Kerry.

I wonder is it too late to try get into the Civil Defence now that my interview is next week?