A GROUP of mustachioed gardaí made for an arresting sight in their Co Louth station yesterday.
Movember (grow a moustache for November) is an international campaign aimed at raising awareness about men’s health as well as funds for cancer charities and has been a growing success in Ireland this month.
“They ask if it is in support of Movember when they see it and we are getting a lot of support because we are taking part and doing our bit,” said Garda Kevin Conway, who is justifiably proud of his neatly trimmed handle-bars.
Fellow Movember supporter Garda Sgt Frank Gallagher, who usually has an “eyebrow-sized” moustache, said: “I just built on an extension to mine.”
The Garda Síochána code is very strict on keeping moustaches tidy and trimmed and specifies “no portion will extend beyond the corners of the mouth or fall below a line parallel with the bottom of the lower lip”.
Garda Conway and Garda Sgt Gallagher are stationed in Louth but know of colleagues right around the State who are also allowing their facial hair to grow to unusual lengths to help raise awareness of male cancers.
The charity has the support of senior officers and Garda Chief Supt Pat Magee in Louth said: “It is a very worthy charity and I am fully supportive of the initiative.”