Kilkenny brothers in blue celebrate special garda milestone

It was a proud family occasion for the Normoyle brothers from Castlecomer as Darragh Normoyle was officially attested as a member of An Garda Siochána at the Garda College in Templemore.

Darragh follows in the footsteps of his brother Conor Normoyle, who was attested as a Garda in 2023, making it two boys in blue for the Comer family.

Darragh was among 207 new gardaí who graduated at the most recent ceremony, marking a historic milestone for An Garda Síochána as the number of sworn members reached 14,825 — the highest figure in the history of the State.

The graduating class, known as Intake 261, was the largest single attestation class since before the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019, comprising 136 men and 71 women.

The new recruits began their training at the Garda College on February 9, 2026, completing a programme combining classroom learning, practical training and experience in operational Garda stations.

Speaking at the ceremony, Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly welcomed the new members and highlighted the significance of the occasion.

“Following today's event, An Garda Síochána will have the highest level of gardaí in its history, as we now approach 15,000 gardaí,” he said.

“This is an important milestone as we continue to strengthen our capacity to serve communities throughout Ireland.”

The Commissioner also noted that close to 1,000 new gardaí are expected to pass through the Garda College during 2026, reflecting continued progress in recruitment and training.

A further 398 recruits are currently undergoing training at Templemore, with another intake due to begin on November 2.