March 1922. With the Irish Republican Police doing their best to maintain order a recruitment drive was under way for the new Civic Guard to replace the Royal Irish Constabulary. Despite the turbulent times that were prevailing the Free State government had made a decision not to arm the new police force. Nationalist, March, 1922. A fine lot of strapping intelligent young men were in Carlow early this week for the purpose of being examined in respect of the new police force with will be known as the Civic Guard. The new type Civic Guard is a good one. I happen to know a few of the candidates, and if the rest are equal or nearly equal, it should be plain sailing. In those places where barracks are in ruins it is obviously necessary that some vacant building should be availed. Any police force is intended to see that the laws made by the nation are kept, and no human law is binding unless it has the sanction of the people ; and no police force can expect the support or confidence of the people's representatives.