‘I walked into hell’: Recruit tells Defence Forces Tribunal of being ‘tortured, not trained’

Denis Kennedy who gave evidence at the Defence Forces Tribunal on Thursday. Picture: Neil Michael.

Recruits to the Defence Forces’ Apprentice School in the 1980s and 1990s were “tortured, not trained”, the Defence Forces Tribunal has been told.

Recalling the day he joined the 54th Platoon at Devoy Barracks in Naas, Co Kildare, in September 1989 at the age of 16, Denis Kennedy said: “I walked into hell.” 

He told the tribunal he witnessed a senior officer — known as 2LTB and who cannot be named for legal reasons — assaulting him and other recruits, including kicking a fellow recruit in the ribs as he did press-ups.

He also said he saw the officer order another recruit to eat cigarettes from “the dregs of an ashtray”.

Tribunal may trigger Garda probe into historic child abuse claims

The Defence Forces Tribunal could lead to a Garda investigation into historic child abuse, it has emerged.

The tribunal heard that Tusla, the child and family agency, has recommended that assaults and abuse allegedly carried out by officers should be reported to gardaí.

Ms Justice Ann Power, the sole member of the tribunal, was told by Denis Kennedy they had been instructed to inform gardaí about what had happened, as it was considered “child abuse”.

Mr Kennedy, who joined aged 16 in September 1989, said he had been encouraged to contact a therapist to discuss the alleged abuse he endured at Devoy Barracks in the 1980s and 1990s.

After he gave his evidence on Thursday, he was asked whether he had ever considered making a formal complaint about his treatment.

He said his therapist had gone to Tusla, which informed her that his experience constituted “historic child abuse”.

Mr Kennedy told the judge: “She recommended it be reported to gardaí.” 

After giving evidence, he told the Irish Examiner: “I am going to wait to get the tribunal out of the way.

“This is all very new and as this is what has been recommended, this is what I am now considering doing.

“But I am unlikely to be the only one.” 

There were 13 16-year-olds in the 54th Platoon, 22 17-year-olds, and 20 recruits aged 18.

One of Mr Kennedy’s closest friends, Oliver Mullaney, died by suicide on June 22, 1991, two days after allegedly being repeatedly humiliated by 2LTB.

Previous witnesses to the tribunal have said 2LTB ordered Mr Mullaney to not only dance on a chair but also kiss another recruit.

Mr Kennedy said the abuse was widely known about, telling tribunal senior counsel Michael Cush that more senior officers above 2LTB would have been aware.

“They would have been well aware,” he said. 

“They were watching, they were well aware.” 

Asked about the most senior rank to have known, he said it was the “commanding officer” — meaning at least a lieutenant colonel.

The tribunal later heard that the unnamed commanding officer has denied being aware of the abuse suffered by Mr Mullaney.

Mr Kennedy said the only time he raised a complaint about his treatment was in relation to food.

He recalled when he found “brown cod worms” in fish battered with cornflakes that were being fed to recruits.

He said he complained to 2LTB, telling the tribunal he was laughed at by kitchen staff after the officer spoke to them about his complaint.

Mr Kennedy said: ”Something inside me broke that day. We were malnourished with the standard of food.

“We were starving and it was just the last straw for me.” 

He recalled being asked by 2LTB to give him the names of fellow recruits who had been late back to the camp.

When he refused, Mr Kennedy said the officer ordered him to go and fetch a ball he then threw to the other side of Devoy Barracks main square.

After returning with the ball, the officer again asked him to name names. When he refused, he again threw the ball back and ordered him to fetch it.

Asked if he felt he was being “treated like a dog”, he said it was worse, as “you’d probably give a dog a drink of water, but there was none of that”.

Mr Kennedy eventually had to give up as he was later diagnosed as suffering from heart stroke and dehydration.

Mr Kennedy told the tribunal that after Mr Mullaney died, a senior officer held a meeting with recruits and his death was referred to as an “accident”.

Recruits were told “not to mention it was suicide” because his family “wouldn’t be invited to any army insurance”.

Lawyer Tom Hogan, on behalf of 2LTB, addressed Mr Kennedy and reminded him that his client denies all allegations of abuse being made by recruits.

“Nothing has been or will be proven in the tribunal,” he said.

The tribunal continues.