Children of the first gardai to serve in County Wexford to be presented with special commemorative pins

Wexford Garda Chief Superintendent Anthony Pettit will commemorate the first 100 years of An Garda Síochána by presenting special lapel pins and certificates Garda chief will present commemoration lapel pins to the children of more than 70 of the first gardai to serve in County Wexford.

He will make the presentations at a function in Oilgate Community Centre on Wednesday, February 8 at 3 pm, which is due to be attended by 200 invited guests.

Among those who will receive the specially-struck pins are Marie Laffan, the mother of former Mayor of Wexford Garry Laffan, national journalist Deaglán de Breadún and Jarlath Glynn of Wexford Library, all of whose fathers were among the first gardai, and South East Radio broadcaster Alan Corcoran whose grandfather was a garda.

The event is being organised by the Wexford branch of the national Garda Retired Members Association (GRMA) whose chairman Tom Miller said the families of the first 1000 gardai of 100 years ago made their own contribution of service and often sacrifice to the community.

“The pins and certificates will give a sense of pride and inspiration to those children of Gardai to continue the culture, the traditions and philosophy of the heroic first guardians of the peace in the county into the next generations”, he said.

Tom Conway, vice-president of the Garda Retired Members Association, will also attend the presentation.