Get nicked for charity! Gardai to take part in handcuff record bid
Friday August 06 2010
GARDAI are using up to 750 handcuffs in an attempt to break into the Guinness Book of World Records this weekend.
Members of the force will form the longest line-up on the promenade on Bray Seafront on Sunday in an effort to make it into the record books.
Over 600 members of the public are expected to join off-duty policemen and garda reserves to beat the current record of 562 which is held by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
And organisers have rolled out a special consignment of 750 handcuffs for the day, which are being provided by sponsors of the event.
Damien Meaney, one of the organisers, said: "They've been purchased. They're not official ones which are used by gardai, they're just imitation ones that look like the real thing. 562 is the record, so we're aiming at 600 plus. If we can get 600 plus people handcuffed together in Bray then we've got a record and we'll be helping three charities as well."
Money raised from the record breaking line-up will be given to disability group Open Door, the Chernobyl Children's Project, and the Garda Siochana Bray Old Folks Community.
"The banter at the moment is who's going to be handcuffed to who. People are saying it'll be great to be handcuffed to you," said Mr Meaney. "All local gardai and any garda reserves will be participating. Basically, we're going to divide it into sections and as soon as everyone is in line the handcuffing will take place."
All gardai taking part will be off-duty, and they'll be giving up their free time for charity. He said: "One guard had read about it [the world record] and was hoping to fundraise for the old folks Christmas party. We sat down and had a look through the world records and we saw what could be done. It's not going to cost big money on the day.
"Anyone participating will be off-duty and giving up their time and coming together. It's a fantastic community event and everyone can get involved in it. It'll be a bit of craic."
- Geraldine Gittens
