Lieutenant Colonel Mark Lennon, the incoming OC of the 6th Infantry Battalion in Custume Barracks at the review of the 68th Infantry Group UNDOF prior to their deployment to Syria at Custume Barracks recently. Photo: Paul Molloy.

New Officer Commanding in Custume Barracks appointed

Deirdre Verney

Published: Fri 29 Sep 2023, 9:54 AM

Last updated: Fri 29 Sep 2023, 11:09 AM

Marking 25 years in the army this October, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Lennon, has an extra reason to celebrate as he takes up the biggest role of his career, as incoming Officer Commanding of the 6th Infantry Battalion and Officer Commanding in Custume Barracks.

The Ballymahon native, who previously served in Custume Barracks from 2012 to 2014, is taking over the top job in Athlone from Lt Col Oliver Clear, who will command the 68th Infantry Group being deployed to the Golan Heights in early October for a six-month tour as part of United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).

Speaking at the recent Ministerial Review for the 68th Infantry Group, Lt Col Lennon said he is delighted to take up his highest profile role in Defence Forces to date.

“I'm really looking forward to taking on the challenge, to be honest. It's an important role for me, it's an important role for the barracks here, Custume Barracks, a barracks with a lot of history,” remarked Lt Col Lennon, who grew up and went to school in Ballymahon, but now lives in Rathconrath, closer to Mullingar.

“I previously served here in the 6th Battalion from 2012 to 2014, so I understand the role of the unit, the 6th Infantry Battalion within the barracks and then the importance of the barracks within the town of Athlone and the wider community that it serves.”

Acutely aware of the “widespread reach” of the Defence Forces in the local area, he stressed the importance of keeping that especially in the current recruitment and retention crisis.

However, he agreed that this will probably the biggest challenge he faces in the his position heading up the military presence in Custume Barracks.

“For us here, we're working at almost half capacity and we still have to do the roles and tasks we're expected to do and probably even more. So from an organisational point of view, even as the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence alluded to (in his speech) the recruitment and retention crisis is probably our biggest challenge as an organisation.”

“It's definitely challenging times because it's effectively full employment in Ireland. And to be honest, everything that can be done is being done (on recruitment and retention), but I suppose there is more to do and always is.”

Asked what the current numbers are in Athlone, he replied: “The barracks as a whole (Custume Barracks, Athlone) has almost 1,000 troops but with the departure of the lead unit with UNDOF (to Syria) and recruitment and retention issues we're not at that number at the moment, it's lower than that.”

Improving those figures and retaining existing troops will be his big priority, and while good work has been done on recruitment and retention initiatives, there is more to do to address the issue.

Mark's most recent role was Army HQ in the education and training branch, and prior to that, a variety of roles in Ireland and overseas, including in Liberia, two trips to Lebanon, Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo and a posting with the EU Battlegroup, the EU military response force in Strasbourg for almost two years.

While he had no news on when an announcement will be made on a new national army headquarters, and no comment on whether Athlone could be in the running, Lt Col Lennon agreed it would be “positive for the area, the locality and Custume Barracks” and a boost to its status into the future.