Tom Clonan
|
Tom Clonan
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | Finglas, Dublin, Ireland |
| Allegiance |  Ireland |
| Service/ |
 Army |
| Years of service | 1989–2000 |
| Rank |  Captain |
| Battles/wars | UNIFIL |
Tom Clonan is a former Irish Army Captain, author and security analyst.
Contents
Military career
Clonan grew up in Finglas, Dublin and attended St Kevins College in Glasnevin. He completed a degree in Education at Trinity College, Dublin, graduating in 1987, before joining the Irish Army as a cadet in 1989.
In 1995, Clonan deployed to South Lebanon as an officer commanding Irish troops under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mission in that country. He was also an OSCE election monitor in Bosnia during the Dayton Agreement in 1996. Back at home, he joined the Defence Forces Press Office (DFPO) as a press officer and undertook a Masters degree in Communications at the Dublin City University (DCU).[1]
Research on female personnel in the Defence Forces
Clonan was sanctioned to undertake a PhD at DCU as the first equality audit of the Irish military, titled "The Status and Roles Assigned Female Personnel in the Permanent Defence Forces". The findings revealed a catalogue of discrimination, bullying, sexual harassment and assault within the Irish Defence Forces against female soldiers and led to an independent government inquiry which resulted in an overhaul in the workplace policies of the DF and the implementations of recommendations arising from the inquiry to protect equality within the Irish armed forces.[2][3] Clonan was the subject of reprisals from some senior officers for whistleblowing.[4]
He retired from the Defence Forces in 2000.
Academic, media and politics
Clonan lectures at the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) School of Media in the fields of Journalism, Political Communication, Public Affairs and Research Methodology.[3]
He has been a security analyst for The Irish Times since the September 11 attacks in 2001, reporting and commenting on various world events involving defence, intelligence, terrorism and international relations for various news organisations.[5]
He is a contributor to the US-based Armed Forces & Society publication.[2]
Clonan's young son suffers from a rare neuromuscular disease, and as a result Clonan has campaigned on behalf of children and young people in Ireland with disabilities and brought attention to the effects austerity has had on funding for essential services to assist people with disabilities.[3]
Clonan ran for election to the 25th Seanad Éireann in 2016 as a graduate of the University of Dublin, but was unsuccessful in his attempt.
He is the author of two best-selling books, Blood, Sweat and Tears (2012) and Whistleblower, Soldier, Spy (2013).[6]
References
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