Claremorris native, Major General Michael Finn (60) has been named as the Head of Mission and Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) which provides the military command structure for peacekeeping in the Middle East.
Claremorris native, Major General Michael Finn (60) who has been named as the Head of Mission and Chief of Staff of the United Nations. Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO). Photo: Defence Forces.
Major General Michael Finn was born and reared in Aughavilla, Claremorris.
The eldest of a family of nine, he attended St Coleman’s College and joined the Irish Cadets in 1970.
He was a member of Coleman’s team that won the All Ireland Colleges Football that year.
He lives in Dublin, is married to Helen Cummins and has three in family. He took up his new appointment on July 1st.
Distinguished career
He has had a distinguished career in the Irish Army and has had many postings abroad on peacekeeping duties.
Prior to his appointment, Major General Finn was the General Officer commanding the Second Infantry, a position he held since 2010.
In 2003 and 2004, Major General Finn commanded the first Irish infantry force in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission in Kosovo.
He also served as the Director of Logistics in the European Union Military Staff within the European Union General Council Secretariat in Brussels (2007-2010).
Major General Finn’s experience with United Nations peacekeeping include as a military observer assigned to Observer Group Golan assisting the implementation of the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) (1993-1995) and as a UNTSO military observer assigned to Observer Group Lebanon assisting the implementation of the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and Company Commander and a Battalion Operations Officer in UNIFIL.
Major General Finn graduated from University College Galway.
He also graduated with distinction from the Irish Command and Staff School and attended a number of international military courses.
