Coiste Siamsa

The history of sport within An Garda Síochána can be traced to Kildare, where Coiste Siamsa was established in 1922.

That year saw approximately 1,500 enthusiastic recruits assembled at the temporary depot in Kildare during the formative months of An Garda Síochána.

From the outset, there was a clear need to engage this emerging force in structured sporting and cultural activities.

In its early constitution, Coiste Siamsa played a central role in fostering esprit de corps within the organisation.

In 1923, the official publication, Iris an Gharda, described sport as “a bond of unity in every organisation… to cement the ties of comradeship and co-operation as characteristics of our force.”

At that time, the stated aim of Coiste Siamsa was “not the production of champion athletes, but to ensure that the Garda as a body should contain a high proportion of men who can hold their own with the average athlete in every form of sport – from such participation will in due course spring champion athletes.”

New Beginnings

As the decades progressed, many of the early pioneers moved from the forefront of the organisation and while organised sports continued, overall participation in sport declined.

However, by 1962, An Garda Síochána was once again a comparatively young organisation. It was during this period that Coiste Siamsa experienced a significant revival.

On Thursday, 21 June 1962, the inaugural meeting of the Ard-Chomhairle of Coiste Siamsa was convened in the Depot Library. The meeting was attended and addressed by the then Minister for Justice, Charles J. Haughey, and was also attended by the Commissioner, Mr Daniel Costigan.

From this point, Coiste Siamsa was placed on a firm and sustainable footing, progressing steadily in strength and influence. A notable milestone in its development was the Silver Jubilee Awards, held at the Burlington Hotel, Dublin, on Thursday, 26 November 1987.

The Present

Today, Coiste Siamsa serves as the national governing body for sporting clubs within An Garda Síochána. At local level, each Superintendent assumes the role of Chairperson of their respective Divisional Coiste Rinne. The effective administration of the sporting body is supported by a structured network of Sports Representatives, as well as Provincial and Divisional Secretaries.

A key highlight of the Coiste Siamsa calendar is the Annual Sportstar Awards Ceremony. This flagship event recognises and celebrates excellence across eight distinct sporting categories.