In 1959, twelve women joined An Garda Síochána amid marriage bars, Dáil sexism and instructions to avoid "girlish giddiness". Thirty-four years later, Garda Yvonne Burke and her colleague chased shotgun-wielding armed robbers through Cabra, and she became the first woman to win the Scott Medal for bravery. This episode traces how the Ban Gardaí came to be, from their training under Liverpool's Sergeant Doreen Prissick, to 'bulletproof' tights, and explains what it takes to earn the Scott Medal. Join hosts Helen Moorhouse and retired Garda Sergeant Dr John Reynolds for a story of pioneers, courage and slow-won equality.
Drawing on Dáil debates, Home Office files, the recollections of the first Ban Gardaí, and John's own years in the force, this episode is a story of two kinds of bravery.
","author_name":"Tinpot Productions"}