Gardaí should get our respect ... I know from playing one on Red Rock!

HE played the law, and the law won... him over! Red Rock heart-throb David Crowley has a new-found respect for the work of the gardaí from playing one in the drama.

Crowley, pictured, said he learned how difficult policing is from chatting with the show’s on-set consultant, Ian McLoughlin, a retired detective sergeant who now runs a security consultancy.

‘Like most kids I fancied the idea of being a guard or a fireman,’ said the 28-year-old Dubliner, who plays Garda Seán ‘Westlife’ Holden in the Virgin Media One series.

‘The second I got into playing one on Red Rock and really looked in depth at what they do for a living I realised I could never do it.

‘We had a great guard on set and we dealt with a lot of real storylines in the show. And the more I went into it, the more I realised how difficult the job is. The gardaí deserve more respect as these guys put their life on the line every day for us.

He added: ‘You do not go into the gardaí for the money. It’s like a vocation and they deserve more of our respect. If I was not an actor I definitely would not be a guard.’

The star is involved in an unusual storyline in the current series, falling for abused prostitute Irena, whom he has saved from the street and moved into his home.

‘It’s obviously something he’s doing that isn’t by the book,’ says Crowley. ‘He has feelings for this woman and as much as he tries to put them aside, he can’t help himself. He is being led by the heart. He does not want to put this woman back on the street and tries to get her a job but this isn’t going to have much effect.’

The actor can also be seen playing a teacher in the Irish horror film The Hole In The Ground which won rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival last month. He shares one scene with the movie’s lead star, Seána Kerslake, and was full of praise for the Tallaght actress.

He said: ‘She’s been getting fantastic reviews and the film is going to be really well received when it opens in Ireland [on March 1] because it’s not just a horror film but the story of a mother and her son.

‘The role is acted brilliantly by her and she has instant star quality. She can light up the camera.’

Crowley is braced for the conclusion of Red Rock at the end of the current series, which was filmed over a year ago. ‘The producers wanted some kind of resolution but at the same time not fully closing the door,’ he said. ‘They don’t know for definite it’s not coming back and everyone wants it to. This is something the cast and crew really enjoyed making over three years and set a new standard for Irish TV.’

Red Rock continues on Virgin Media One tonight at 9pm.