Garda recruitment: the cage fighter - Longford-based trainee Mark Isbotis

Garda Recruitment Drive: If you've ever envisioned yourself wearing the famous blue uniform, you have until 3pm tomorrow, Thursday, Oct 9, to take the first step towards making it happen. Don't forget, the age limit for applicants has increased, so anyone between the ages of 18-50 can now apply. 

While studying, Garda students will receive a weekly wage of €354 in addition to free accommodation and food while training in Templemore College. Once qualified, they will be on a starting salary of €38,694. To apply, please visit www.publicjobs.ie  

Trainee Garda Mark Isbotis - the cage fighter 

“I’m on Phase Two of my Garda college training and as part of that, I’m doing a 10 week placement in Longford Garda Station. I’m on week 5 of my placement now and I love it. I was thinking earlier today that I only have five weeks left and I wish I could stay here longer. I would love for Longford to be my permanent station as well, and with the same unit too.

I moved to Ireland from Romania around 9 years ago. My mom moved here first to work as a nurse and then a year later, I along with my siblings and my dad moved over as well.

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I knew I'd like being a Garda because I worked in hospitality before this and I really enjoyed working with people and meeting new people. In hospitality, you’re doing the same thing every day but meeting new people, but with this job, you’re doing something different every day and also seeing new people. I love that.

I'm encouraging my brother to apply for the Gardaí as well. He's just 19, so a bit younger than me - I'm 23 - but I just think if he gets it now, he’ll become that bit more mature with the job. One of our uncles, he passed away just a couple months ago, he was a guard in Romania and he would always tell me stories about the job.

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I try to get my brother into sports as well because I do MMA which I love. I used to do wrestling - Greco Roman Wrestling - it’s a popular Balkan / Russian sport. I started it when I was six and kept it up until I moved here at 14. I started it again recently and I now train in Roscommon.

When it comes to the job, having a martial arts background has helped. It gives you confidence, but even more so with the job because you know if you go out to a call, you're already prepared if things kick off. You always have that at the back of your mind. It’s really good for sharpening your reaction time too.

You're just more aware of your surroundings and the body language of those around you. I can tell from body language when someone is about to kick off.

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Even though martial arts is a hobby, it has taught me so much that I can bring into the job. It helps with mentality and discipline too. When I first came here, I had zero English.

School helped me a lot because I was hearing English being spoken every day and I started to pick it up.

There's still a slight language barrier, especially with law, like when a charge sheet is referring to a car, it will say a ‘mechanically propelled vehicle.’

Adjusting to that type of language can be tough at first, but you learn."

What would you say to someone who is thinking of applying, but is hesitant due to background, age, language barrier, etc?
"In my class in Templemore, there’s a wide variety of ages and backgrounds. I became great friends with a classmate from Cork. He turned 51 a couple of weeks after we arrived in Templemore!

There’s a good few trainees in their 30’s and 40’s; a good mixture of every age and background to be honest. I like to get along with everyone, I like working with good people, and I honestly enjoy coming into work as a trainee Garda every day.”