Sir, – This week marks the centenary of the inaugural meeting to set up a new police force (originally called the Civic Guard) held in the Gresham Hotel in Dublin on February 9th, 1922. It was attended by Michael Collins and others, including Michael Staines TD, who became the first commissioner. The new force was fully armed. Three months later, over 1,300 Garda recruits mutinied for six weeks over the promotion of former RIC men. A subsequent inquiry suggested the force be unarmed, hence our largely unarmed Garda Síochána today. – Yours,etc,
LIAM McNIFFE,
Kells,
Co Meath.