‘Incredible journey’ - Man lost 66kg to end 18-year wait to join An Garda Síochána

A man who recently became a member of An Garda Síochána has described the “incredible journey” he undertook in his bid to join the force.

Conor Finan from Blessington in County Wicklow ended his 18-year wait to become a garda when he graduated from Templemore Garda College on Friday last.

Mr Finan studied Media and Public Relations at Carlow IT before joining Wicklow Fire Service. He has subsequently worked as an undertaker for the past number of years.

He believes that the experience he gained in these various fields will stand with him in his new career

He stated: “I've been involved in different types of situations, and I suppose just the experience that they've all given me over the last number of years will definitely stand to me, because it's very much a challenging career.

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“Every day is different, so I really do believe that they'll all stand me throughout my career.”

Mr Finan added that his work as an undertaker, which involves dealing with people at their worst, is something that will be of particular help to him in his role as a garda.

He went on to outline the journey he has undertaken in his bid to become a member of An Garda Síochána.

“I've applied four or five times before, and I could never get in, so I've had a bit of a long journey behind me.

“I had to drop over ten and a half stone over the last three years, you know, so it's been a pretty incredible journey.

“The fitness guys here, they almost know me by first name at this stage, I've been through the system a few times.

“But yeah thankfully I got by everything last year, I got in and I'm absolutely delighted.”

When asked what the key to him losing weight was, Mr Finan said that he stuck to 1800 calories a day and he also trained for the Dublin City Marathon.

He outlined that he is now 38-years-old, having first applied to join the force when he was 20.

He continued: “I'm passionate about it. I suppose, community service, working in the public for the last number of years, it's been something that I've just always really enjoyed, to be honest.

“I did work experience back in fourth year also through school in Blessington Garden Station. It was kind of really from that point on I just said, this is what I wanted to do.”

Mr Finan will be stationed in Tallaght Garda Station and is looking forward to the variation that comes with the job.

He was one of 167 new recruits that were attested as sworn members of the force at a ceremony in Templemore on Friday afternoon.

The newly sworn gardaí were recruited as part of the 2024/25 recruitment campaigns. Their graduation means that just under 1800 people have joined the force since 2022.