Irish Prison Service confirms paying nearly €25 k to 2 Johnnies to attract recruits

The Irish Prison Service has confirmed that it paid nearly €25,000 to the 2 Johnnies for a "bespoke commercial" promotional podcast aimed at recruiting prison officers.

Freedom of Information details published by RTÉ revealed that the Irish Prison Service (IPS) partnered in a paid feature with the 2 Johnnies during the summer. It featured two Laois-based officers, Séamus Mulhare, who is attached to the IPS Training College in Portlaoise, and Grainne Costello, Work and Training Officer, who is also Laois-based.

A statement issued to the Leinster Express / Laois Live from the IPS outlined the cost and purpose of the exercise, which was the first ever paid-for recruitment initiative by the Service.   

"The Irish Prison Service aims to recruit 300 Recruit Prison Officers in 2025, and received 1,774 applications as part of this year’s campaign.

"Since 2021 the Irish Prison Service have recruited over 805 Recruit Prison Officers. Participation in the Two Johnnies podcast allowed the Irish Prison Service to reach a broad national and international audience, highlighting the career opportunities available and the diverse roles the service can offer potential applicants.

"The total cost of the podcast was €24,600, inclusive of VAT at 23%. As is standard across all Irish Prison Service media engagements, editorial adjustments were made post-recording to ensure that no content was released which could prejudice or impair the security of any prison, its staff, or prisoners, while also maintaining alignment with our communications protocols and participant consent," said the statement.

It appears that the initiative may have attracted a rise in interest in working as a prison officer. The 2024 recruitment campaign attracted more than 1500 applicants resulting in 271 prison officers joining the Irish Prison Service. The 2025 Recruit Prison Officer Competition closed on August 1, 2025.

Seamus Mulhare, told the Leinster Express / Laois Live at the time the podcast was first aired that it gave a behind-the-scenes glimpse into a job that few fully understand, discussing everything from the day-to-day routines to the unique challenges of the role, including the smells, the food, and even the toilets.  MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Pictured: Portlaoise Prison.

“We were asked to do the podcast as part of the upcoming recruitment campaign for the Irish Prison Service,” explained the inter-county GAA referee from The Heath.

“We got across points which some people find interesting and some things that would interest people in joining."

“One of those was how we deal with some of the most violent people in society behind bars. We teach C&R (Control and Restraint) to RPOs (recruit prison officers), and this is a way to control non-compliant prisoners using different types of joint manipulation. In situations like ‘armed violent inmate’ removal or a ‘spontaneous incident’, we would be called to deal with it.

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“I have been a control and restraint instructor for over a decade and teach all staff (along with other instructors) across the Irish Prison Service these techniques. Our main aim is to de-escalate situations, but if that fails, we have to use force,” he said at the time.

The 2 Johnnies Podcast, was titled 'Ep. 385: Prison Officers'. It wasn't introduced as a sponsored episode nor is it described is the podcast info on Spotify as sponsored.

It's understood that the IPS went with the 2 Johnnies because of the 700,000 listeners the Tipperary entertainers attract to their online show.  

RTÉ reported that 2 Johnnies said in correspondence that they were "very interested" in working with the prison service and offered a "bespoke commercial package" to promote careers there.

Officers were also given a primer by the Irish Prison Service on questions to expect and suggested answers.

Caron McCaffrey, Director General, IPS spoke about recruitment when the 2025 campaign was launched.

“The Recruit Prison Officer campaign is a vital opportunity to attract individuals who are committed to public service and rehabilitation, and who will play a central role in maintaining safe and secure prison environments. The incredible work of Prison Officers is complex and often hidden from public view, but our annual competition and the launch of the virtual tour allow us the opportunity to let the public see the teamwork, integrity, potential, safety and support that Prison Officers not only offer to prisoners, but to their colleagues as well," she said.

The 2 Johnnies podcast also featured Ger Manley, Cork Prison Governor.