Rossa Mulcahy

Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy
Born	Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland
Allegiance	Ireland
Branch	CIS Corps
Years of service	1986–present
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands	Chief of Staff Assistant Chief of Staff Director of Strategic Planning Director of CIS Corps

Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy is an Irish Army general and current Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces since 1 June 2025. ^{[1] [2]} Mulcahy joined the Irish Army as a Cadet in 1986 and is a professional communications officer, having served in all CIS units of the Irish Army. ^{[3] [4]}

Mulcahy has held appointments in the Joint Command and Staff School and the Defence Forces Management Information Framework Section. ^[4] From 2019, Mulcahy served as Director of CIS, where he was responsible for cyber in the Defence Forces. From February 2020 he served as Director of Strategic Planning Branch, with responsibility for strategy development, defence policy implementation, annual plans, and international security and defence policy coordination. ^{[3] [5]}

In October 2021, Mulcahy was promoted to Brigadier General and appointed Assistant Chief of Staff, responsible for organisation transformation, capability development, innovation, risk management, corporate governance, and industrial relations, doctrine and cultural transformation. ^{[3] [5]}

Overseas service

Mulcahy has overseas service with three deployments to UNIFIL in Lebanon, two years deployment to Syria and Lebanon with UNTSO and a deployment as Irish National Senior and Deputy Key Leader Engagement (KLE) Branch at NATO's Resolute Support Mission, in Kabul, Afghanistan. ^{[3] [5]}

Education

Mulcahy holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Galway, a Higher Diploma in Information Technology from Maynooth University, a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems from University College Dublin (UCD), a Master of Arts degree in Leadership, Management and Defence Studies from Maynooth University and a Professional Diploma in Strategy Development and Innovation from the Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, UCD. ^{[3] [5]}

Mulcahy is a graduate of the Defence Forces Senior Command & Staff Course in 2008 and the United States Army Command and General Staff College in 2011. ^{[3] [5]}

References

1. "Brigadier General Rossa Mulcahy appointed as new Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces". The Journal. 4 March 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
2. Lehane, Mícheál (3 March 2025). "Brig Gen Mulcahy to be appointed new Defence Forces chief". RTE News. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
3. "The Chief of Staff". military.ie. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
4. "Newbridge man becomes Army's senior officer". Kildare Nationalist. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
5. "Appointment of new Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces". gov.ie. Retrieved 30 August 2025.

Military offices
Preceded by Seán Clancy	Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces 2025–present	Incumbent