Garda Open Day a huge success
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Eoin and Sean Clune, Delvin, with Reserve Garda Lorenzo Daly.Image 2 of 12
Adalyn and Esme Robson had their faces painted.Image 3 of 12
Lee Lyons, Glenda Dunne and Loren Crowley from Mullingar.Image 4 of 12
Archie Brennan and Garda Patrick Walsh at Mullingar Garda Station.Image 5 of 12
Garda Camilla Corbett and Garda Martina Walsh at the refreshment stand.Image 6 of 12
Leo, Rita and Esca McGrath from Delvin with inspector Pat Kenny.Image 7 of 12
Davin Quinn and Oisin Murtagh with Garda Jason Hannon from the Garda Water Unit.Image 8 of 12
Garda Neill Donellan, Sgt Brian Stones and Garda Fiona Walsh from the Mullingar Community Policing Unit.Image 9 of 12
Danill and Antonina Cheinysk on Saturday afternoon.Image 10 of 12
Jack Scally from Mullingar.Image 11 of 12
Grace and Ollie Heery at the Mullingar Garda Station open day.Image 12 of 12
Danielle and Adam Boyce from Mullingar.Sun shines as local gardaí put on show for public at open day
Gda Neil Donellan and Gda Fiona Walsh of the Mullingar Community Policing Unit saw the garda helicopter off from the green in front of the station on Saturday afternoon delighted with how the open day at their station had gone.
The officers organised the open day at Mullingar Garda Station this year and last, and like in 2022, the event drew a large crowd.
Gda Donellan said: “We’re delighted to have the open day again, following on from our centenary year last year, which was a huge success. Thankfully, the weather turned in our favour this morning.
“I want to thank the Civil Defence, who put a lot of effort into helping us yesterday and this morning – only for them, we probably wouldn’t get this event up and running, along with the assistance of our local colleagues in the station.
“We also have the assistance of the national units – the Air Support Unit; the regional Armed Support Unit; the Water Unit, and the Mounted Unit; and our own units, Scene of Crime, Public Order, Roads Policing, and the Community Policing Unit as well.”
Gda Donellan thanked all the people who attended and said officers were grateful for the nice comments they received from members of the public. “It’s great that they can go in, meet the gardaí, see the inside of the station, get to see all the national and local units, and it’s a great time for the kids as well. We had plenty of refreshments and face painting, so all in all it was a fantastic day.”
One of the highlights of the day was the presence of the Garda Air Support Unit and their Eurocopter EC 135 T2. The crew of three, Capt Paul Shanlon, Sgt Paul Cornish and Gda Shane Cooke, flew in from Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, on the outskirts of Dublin, an 18-minute journey in the conditions on Saturday afternoon, Gda Cooke told the Westmeath Examiner.
They have two Eurocopter helicopters, plus a fixed wing aircraft, and the one that landed on the green in front of Coláiste Mhuire has recently been upgraded with new equipment, including a camera and spotlight.