AFU in the Senior Times!

To commemorate the 100 years of the Garda, we have collected stories and testimonials from a few retired Garda members here are their stories:

John Mullins served in the Garda Siochain for 37 years and joined a DCU music appreciation course as part of the  Love of Lifelong Learning programme. He had learned to play flamenco on the guitar while serving with a Spanish Civil Guard. When John joined the AFU Programme for a 12-week course on understanding music theory, he realised an opportunity to extend his knowledge. Not having had the opportunity to go to university, he was delighted to be on campus, interact with the students and lecturers, and found the experience incredibly uplifting. During the course, John played music with his classmates and extended his knowledge about the history and construction of music. He made lifelong friendships and often went for a meal together after the class with the other participants.  

When Frank Cullinane first heard about the AFU, little did he know it would inspire him to write his first novel based on his memories and experiences as a serving member of the force! He initially signed up to improve his computer skills but became interested when he heard about the life writing class. The writing class helped to remember many events in his career that he had forgotten. It was great to hear all the exciting stories he is writing about based on his experiences during his 30 years on the force.

Mary Gormley heard about the AFU courses through the Garda Siochain Retired Members Association (GSRMA). Along with Frank Fitzpatrick they participated in a recent module on Assisted Decision Making (ADM) held in March last to inform people about supporting decision-making and maximising their decision-making capacity. Being retired for seven years, Mary wanted to further her education and was not disappointed. She enjoyed the lectures and found the lecturer challenged the participants and encouraged them to think for themselves. She also enjoyed meeting new people from different backgrounds. As Chairperson of the Garda Siochana Retired Members Association (GSRMA), Frank writes articles every quarter about issues relating to physical or mental problems. He joined the ADM module to learn more about this relevant topic to bring awareness to the issues faced by people with diminished capacities.

I was very happy to interview these participants and hear all about their stories. Full article in this month's issue of the Senior Times, also available online here. 

Article written by Juliette Kinsey.