An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir September / October 2026 www.military.ie/magazine 30 | Can you give me a brief description of your career so far? I joined the Naval Service in April 2007 and completed recruit training before beginning my career in the Seaman's Division. My first ship was LÉ Aisling P23, where I served for four years and gained valuable experience in life at sea and the different responsibilities of the Seaman's Division. I was promoted to L/SEA in 2013 and went on to complete two Mediterranean trips onboard LÉ Eithne and LÉ James Joyce. In 2022, I was promoted to PO/SEA, which allowed me to take on greater responsibility and develop my leadership skills. In April 2024, I took up the role of Bosun onboard LÉ Aoibhinn P71, where I am currently serving. Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work with great people, develop my skills and take part in a wide variety of operations. What made you decide to join the DF and the Naval Service? I decided to join the Naval Service after seeing a poster advertising for general recruitment. I decided to give it a go, and to this day I still believe it was one of the best choices I have ever made. At the time, I probably didn't realise where the career would take me or how many opportunities I would have. Since joining, I have gained a huge amount of experience, travelled, met great people and progressed through the ranks. Looking back now, I am very happy that I made that decision. What was your proudest moment so far in the DF? My proudest moments so far have been the Mediterranean trips onboard LÉ Eithne and LÉ James Joyce. Being involved in such a rewarding role made me feel extremely proud to be part of the Naval Service. The trips were challenging, but they demonstrated the importance of teamwork and showed what can be achieved when everyone onboard works together. They are experiences that have stayed with me throughout my career and are something I will always be proud to have been part of. What was your most challenging moment so far? There have been many challenging moments throughout my career, particularly when working at sea where conditions and situations can change very quickly. Taking on more responsibility as I progressed through the ranks has also challenged me to develop as a leader. Becoming Bosun meant being responsible for ensuring that the crew are properly trained, briefed and prepared for the different evolutions we carry out. I have learned that staying calm, communicating clearly and trusting the people around you are extremely important when dealing with challenging situations. Can you give me a brief description of a typical day in your job? A typical day starts at around 7am and involves preparing for any deck evolutions PEOPLE OF THE DF NAME: RANK: CURRENT ROLE: SERVICE: KATE O'LEARY PO/SEA BOSUN ONBOARD P71 LÉ AOIBHINN NAVAL SERVICE

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