Brothers extend family’s 150 years of Garda service to public

The Bell family have been serving and protecting the public for 150 years, and yesterday two more members of the family’s fourth generation graduated as gardaí.

Brothers, Brian, 26, and Joseph, 22, marched proudly around the Garda Training College along with 97 of their fellow graduates before throwing their Garda hats into the spring air. It was a custom their sister Jennifer, 31, performed four years previously, and their uncle Chris Burdock took part in 34 years ago to the day.

Yesterday will also stick in the minds of the Tallaght brothers for other reasons too. “Thursday in the guards is pay day. We get our cheques on a Wednesday but they don’t go through to the bank account until a Thursday,” Chris remarked with a smirk.