Mullingar girls help to save Christmas

Operation Blue Light Santa is returning this Christmas for its fourth year running, with a new children’s book to be sold in aid of national children’s charity, Little Blue Heroes, which is supported by members of An Garda Síochána.

Operation Blue Light Prankster is written by Ballymahon author and journalist, Jessica Thompson, and includes 16 beautiful illustrations by anonymous artist N.A.D., bringing the story to life.

The story features two Mullingar girls, four-year-old Saoirse Reynolds and six-year-old Lucy Thompson, as clever little elves who help the gardaí in their investigation into who is wreaking havoc around the North Pole.

This year’s book follows Operation Blue Santa, which was released for Christmas 2021, and Operation Blue Nose Reindeer, released in 2022, both of which were illustrated by Nicole Forster, as well as Operation Blue Light Heroes in 2023.

The Operation Blue Santa programme was founded in 2021 by Garda Emma Kiernan, as a way to raise funds for children’s charities in the lead-up to Christmas. So far, the Blue Santa team have raised in excess of €31,000 over the course of three consecutive years, and they hope to continue that trend in 2024.

This year’s book will once again raise funds for the Little Blue Heroes Foundation, a national charity that supports the families of children with serious illnesses in Ireland, while empowering the lives of children by making them Honorary Gardaí and through positive community engagement.

It’s that positive community engagement that Garda Kiernan hopes to emulate each year through Operation Blue Santa and the series of children’s books shines a positive light on the community work of An Garda Síochána.

“We are delighted to be in the midst of year four of the Operation Blue Light Santa Programme, which has proved to be multi-functional in raising funds for local charities – and also educating children on sensible and responsible patterns of behaviour through a fun and easy to understand children’s book,” said Garda Kiernan.

“Each year we choose a topic that can affect young people and our aim is to shape their understanding of what is right, positively influencing their perception of An Garda Síochána and instilling in them a mindset of empathy towards others from a young age.

“Through the guidance of An Garda Síochána, teachers and guardians, it is envisaged that children will absorb the underlying message we are striving to convey, and foster a culture of respect.”

This year’s book, Operation Blue Light Prankster, features the Community Policing Unit, highlighting the good work that is done by the community gardaí through positive engagement every day.

Operation Blue Light Prankster stars Gorm, a naughty little elf who wreaks havoc in the North Pole, delaying the usual Christmas Eve running order, and causing concern among the other elves.

Community Policing Unit

It’s the Community Policing Unit who eventually catch the naughty elf and, with the help of their little assistant detective elves, Saoirse and Lucy, they put Gorm back on the right path, steering him away from a life of crime.

“At the end of the day, Gorm is just looking for attention, and it’s that positive engagement with An Garda Síochána that puts him back on the right track,” said the book’s author, Jessica Thompson.

“Over the past few years, I’ve witnessed first hand the positive work done by the Community Policing Unit and I really wanted to highlight that this year. But also, I love to put a little message in each of the books, so there’s an educational value to them, as well as a quirky story.”

That lesson this year, she added, is that children should never be afraid to approach a garda when they need help or guidance. The gardaí, particularly community gardaí, are there to help and it’s important for children to learn that early on.

“A child should always feel comfortable approaching and speaking to a garda, if they find themselves in a situation where they’re lost or feel unsafe, and it’s so important that they know that,” Jessica said.

All three of the previous Blue Light Santa books have delivered important messages. Operation Blue Santa, for example, encourages children to be kind to one another and highlights the effects of bullying.

The books also teach children to ask for help when they’re feeling sad or lost, and to always be aware that other people might be facing unknown struggles.

This year’s book is funded by the Longford Community Safety Partnership, who have been supporters of Operation Blue Light Santa for the last few years.