The Guardians

‘The Garda Sìochána will succeed, not by force of arms or numbers, but on their moral authority as servants of the people.’

Michael Staines, the first Commissioner of An Garda Sìochána, 1922

The Guardians: 100 Years of An Garda Sìochána, 1922-2022 takes readers from the first generation of the Civic Guard/Garda Sìochána, through the 1950s and 1960s, and up to the modern policing service provided by An Garda Sìochána in 21^st-century Ireland.

Formed in the turbulent period between the War of Independence and the Civil War, An Garda Sìochána had been tasked with restoring law and order in the new Irish Free State. A century later, with the evolution of crime and following major societal changes, policing faces new challenges in a very different Ireland. Nevertheless, ‘the guardians of the peace’ retain their commitment to serving the Irish people and keeping them safe.

Compiled by Garda Stephen Moore in conjunction with The Guardians Editorial Board on behalf of An Garda Sìochána, these collected essays include individual and personal stories of gardaì past and present. Combined with accounts by historians and academics, they provide a unique insight into policing in Ireland over the past hundred years.

Richly illustrated with historical and contemporary photographs, this is the official book of An Garda Sìochána in its centenary year.