FirstBanGardaí arriveinWexford

May 1980

The Wexford Garda force has just receive a shapely boost to its numbers in the form of the addition of two Ban Gardaí. Nell Norris from Dungarvan and Anne Thorpe from Newbridge are the first ever Ban Gardaí to be stationed at Wexford Garda Station.

Nell Norris has been two years in the force, having passed out from the Depot at Templemore in June 1978. Since then she has been stationed at the Bridewell Station in Cork City.

Anne Thorpe passed out in Templemore at the same time as Nell and spent some time in the Bridewell in Cork as well. But she has since also spent a year in Dublin, stationed at Store Street.

When asked why they joined up, both girls that since they were very very young, they wanted to be members of the force.

Both are at the forefront of a rising number of women who are joining the Gardaí. At the moment, there are about 100 in the force overall, compared to 39 when the two girls passed out two years ago.

The highest rank a Ban Garda can attain is Sergeant, and at the moment, there are four Ban Sergeants. Both Ban Sergeants and Ban Gardaí are on equal pay terms with their male counterparts.

Both girls are hopeful that their presence will encourage more women in Wexford to come to Gardaí if they are raped or sexually assaulted. They say this has been the case in both Cork and Dublin.

‘Women are cautious about approaching men when assaulted, but when there is another woman present, they are far more willing to talk and give details,’ said Nell Norris.