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Senator
Tom Clonan
Clonan in 2022
Senator
Incumbent
Assumed office
5 April 2022
ConstituencyDublin University
Personal details
BornFinglas, Dublin, Ireland
Political partyIndependent
EducationSt Kevin's College, Dublin
Alma mater
Profession
Websitetomclonan.ie
Military service
Allegiance Ireland
Branch/service Army
Years of service1989–2000
Rank Captain
Battles/warsUNIFIL

Thomas Martin Clonan is an Irish senator, security analyst, author and retired Irish Army Captain. He was elected to Seanad Éireann in March 2022 at the 2022 Dublin University by-election.[1]

Military career

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Clonan grew up in Finglas, Dublin and attended St Kevin's College, Dublin school in Ballygall. He completed a Bachelor in Education degree at Trinity College Dublin, graduating in 1987,[2] 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. Clonan's deployment to Lebanon coincided with the Israeli Operation Grapes of Wrath against Hezbollah which culminated in the massacre of refugees at the village of Qana in April 1996. Clonan has spoken about his experiences of conflict and trauma in the RTÉ documentary Peacekeepers (2016) and in his first book Blood, Sweat and Tears.[3] He was also an OSCE election monitor in Bosnia during the Dayton Agreement in 1996. In this role, Clonan was based in the Serb-held town of Prijedor. Back at home, he completed a master's degree in communications at the Dublin City University (DCU) and joined the Defence Forces Press Office (DFPO) as a press officer.[4]

Research on female personnel in the Defence Forces

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Between 1996 and 2000 Clonan was given formal written sanction by the Chief of Staff and the Director of Training at Defence Forces Headquarters 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".[5] 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 Defence Forces and the implementation of recommendations arising from the inquiry to protect equality within the Irish armed forces.[6][7] Clonan was the subject of 'Whistleblower Reprisal' (as cited by Transparency International, Ireland) from senior officers for whistleblowing.[8]

He retired from the Defence Forces in 2000.

Academic and media work

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Clonan lectures at the Technological University Dublin (TUD) School of Media in the fields of Ethics, Journalism, Political Communication, Public Affairs and Research Methodology.[7]

He was a security analyst for The Irish Times from the September 11 attacks in 2001 to 2016, reporting and commenting on various world events involving defence, intelligence, terrorism and international relations for various news organisations.[9] He is currently a security analyst and columnist for Irish online news platform, TheJournal.ie (2016 to date).[10]

He is a Fellow of the US-based Armed Forces & Society publication.[6]

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.[7]

He is the author of two best-selling books, Blood, Sweat and Tears (2012) and Whistleblower, Soldier, Spy (2013).[11]

In November 2019, Clonan was recognised by the Irish military authorities for his PhD research which helped transform the culture of the Irish Armed Forces with regard to Equality, Diversity and Dignity in the Workplace. Clonan was formally acknowledged and thanked for his service and contribution to the Defence Forces by the Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett at the Military College, Curragh Camp in November 2019.[12][13]

Political career

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Clonan ran for election to the 25th Seanad in 2016 for the Dublin University constituency, but was unsuccessful. Clonan ran again in 2020, increasing his vote but the incumbent senators retained their seats. He stood again in the 2022 Dublin University by-election,[14] beating Maureen Gaffney on the sixteenth count.[15][1]

Works

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  • Clonan, Tom (2012). Blood, Sweat and Tears: An Irish Soldier's Story of Love and Loss. Dublin: Liberties Press. ISBN 978-1907593550.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Clonan wins Trinity College Seanad by-election". RTÉ News. 31 March 2022. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  2. ^ Sherlock, D.J.M. (2006). Trinity College Record Volume 2006. Dublin: Trinity College Dublin Press. ISBN 1-871408-07-5.
  3. ^ Clonan 2012
  4. ^ "Tom Clonan: Whistleblower, Soldier, Spy". Writing.ie. 27 February 2014. Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  5. ^ Clonan, Thomas (August 2000). "Women in Combat:The status and roles assigned female personnel in the Permanent Defence Forces" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Tom Clonan, Guest Speaker". Athenas Ireland. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  7. ^ a b c "About Tom Clonan". Tom Clonan. Archived from the original on 30 March 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  8. ^ Tallant, Nicola (28 November 2013). "Stop hiding behind that f**king handicapped son of yours". Sunday World. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  9. ^ "Tom Clonan, Security Analyst". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  10. ^ "Tom Clonan". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  11. ^ "Launch of Tom Clonan's book Whistleblower, soldier, Spy". Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT). Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  12. ^ Lally, Conor (28 November 2019). "Whistleblower who exposed rape in Defence Forces thanked 20 years on". The Irish Times. Dublin. ISSN 0791-5144. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  13. ^ Clonan, Tom (28 November 2019). "Tom Clonan: 'My whistleblower journey in the Defence Forces has ended. I am back in from the cold'". TheJournal.ie. Dublin. Archived from the original on 22 April 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  14. ^ "Nominations for the University of Dublin Seanad Bye-Election 2022". Trinity College Dublin. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Seanad Bye-Election 2022". Trinity College Dublin. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
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