It’s the Garda reserve — but not as we know it

A DIFFERENT type of Garda reserve was rolled out in Cork city yesterday.

Complete with ID cards and uniforms, the only difference was these reserves were too young to drive patrol cars — but that did not stop them having fun.

The children, some of whom are patients at the Mercy Hospital, were brought in for “a day in the force”.

They visited Togher Garda Station where they saw Garda dogs undergoing training and were brought on a spin through the Jack Lynch Tunnel in Garda vehicles with flashing lights on.

At Anglesea Street Garda Station the children got to use the mountain bikes, sit on Garda motorcycles, watch fingerprinting techniques and observe CCTV footage from around the city.

The idea was the brainchild of Inspector Finbarr O’Sullivan who is hoping to make it an annual event.

“It was just something we wanted to do for them,” said Insp O’Sullivan.

There was some light-hearted banter later when Chief Superintendent Kevin Ludlow presented the children with Garda badges, notebooks and ID cards.

Brothers David and Daniel Cullen then jokingly asked him if they could use the ID to “get away with things”.

Christopher Crowley, aged 10 from Timoleague, who is recovering from leukaemia, said he would not mind being a garda. “I especially liked watching the Garda dogs doing their training,” he said.