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GOC 2 Brigade

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A native of Cork, Brigadier General Cudmore was a student in Christian Brothers College (whose motto ‘Certa Bonum Certamen’ - Fight the Good Fight, he has taken to heart!) and as a student was a volunteer in the Cork City Civil Defence service, before applying for a permanent commission in the Irish Defence Forces in 1981.

Education

Brigadier General Cudmore holds a number of academic qualifications including: MSc in Governance UCD 2018, MA in Leadership, Management and Defence Studies NUI Maynooth 2006, MA in International Relations DCU 2002, BA (Hons) Sociology & Politics and Archaeology UCG 1986. He completed the ‘Academia Diplomatica Europaea’ in Brussels in 2009 and the ‘International Visitor Leadership Program’ in the USA in 2011.

In addition to a number of medals presented for overseas service, he has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by NATO and the Memorial Cross by Italy. He has been awarded German and American parachute ‘wings’, having completed parachuting activities with both militaries.

Military Experience

He joined the 58th Cadet Class in 1981 and was commissioned into the 3rd Infantry Battalion in 1983. He subsequently served as an instructor in the Cadet School and as the Officer in Charge of the 68th Cadet Class. Thereafter he served in the Army Ranger Wing where he qualified as a combat diver and parachutist. He subsequently served as the Officer Commanding Army Ranger Wing from 2003 to 2006.

On returning from Brussels in 2010, he was posted to Defence Forces Headquarters, where he has held a number of appointments within the Chief of Staff Division, including Senior Staff Officer in the Strategic Planning Branch and as Military Assistant to the Chief of Staff.

in 2016 he was posted to the Military College where he served as the Commandant of the Military College and from 2017 to 2019 he has served as the Director of Joint Logistics and Court Martial Administrator in Defence Forces Headquarters.

Overseas Service

Brigadier General Cudmore has served abroad in both the United Nations and NATO peacekeeping missions. In 2003 he led an Irish Special Operations Task Group to Liberia as a component of the United Nations Mission in Liberia. He was based in Brussels with colleagues from the Department of Foreign Affairs in the Irish Military Representation to the European Union from 2007 to 2010.

On promotion to Colonel, he was selected to command the multinational NATO Headquarters Support Group in Kosovo from 2015 to 2016. 

Personal

He is a member of the Council of the Military History Society of Ireland and maintains an active interest in outdoor pursuits.

He is married and has three adult children.