Publisher's Synopsis
The Garda Club is a walk down memory lane of an Garda Sìochána, giving the reader an insight into how the well known Dublin Metropolitan Garda Recreation Club was formed and the impact it had on the lives of its members. Boasting ballroom and function facilities in the heart of Dublin city, two golf courses, superb playing fields for GAA, rugby and soccer, an ultramodern sports and leisure centre, and a clubhouse with fine banqueting and conference facilities, the club is second to none. It was formed from the remnants of the Royal Irish Constabulary and Dublin Metropolitan Police, which existed for forty years before being radically reconstituted in 1961. From its Harrington Street premises, the Garda Club emerged as one of the top entertainment hotspots in Dublin in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. The revenue generated from bingo, cabaret, Big Band dancing and disco, along with members’ subscriptions, made it possible for the club to embark on ambitious development plans which would lead to the kind of sport and social facilities that few police forces in the world can rival.
