
From Whistle to Warrant: How Ireland’s Oldest Garda Recruit Brings Refereeing Acumen to Policing
Michael Connolly, a 50-year-old former football referee from Aghyaran in west Tyrone, has made history by becoming the oldest probationer ever attested into An Garda Síochána, Ireland’s national police force. His swearing-in ceremony at the Garda College in Templemore, Co Tipperary, on Friday, August 22, 2025, marks a significant milestone, not only for Connolly himself…