TWO new officers have been assigned to Ireland’s Army Equitation School. Lieutenant James Bracken and Second Lieutenant Raphael Lee were commissioned at the commissioning ceremony of the 98th cadet class at Collins Barracks, Dublin, on Wednesday. The commissioning ceremony was attended by the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin and the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lt Gen Seán Clancy.

Lieutenant James Bracken (26) is from Tullamore, Co Offaly. The son of Thomas and Martha Bracken, he has three brothers and one sister. Prior to being awarded his cadetship, he completed a Diploma in Business Studies and a Postgraduate Degree in Analytics and Statistics, each from the University of Limerick.

Second Lieutenant Raphael Lee (26) is from Headford, Co Galway. He is the son of Ray and Deirdre Lee and has two sisters, Eilish and Jessica. Before being awarded his cadetship he was educated at Presentation College Headford, and worked at breaking, training and competing horses on his home farm.

In 2019, prior to joining the Defence Forces, Lee won the Showjumping Ireland Connaught Region Grand Prix League for a third year in-a-row.

The Army Equitation School, based at McKee Barracks, was founded in 1926 to promote Ireland and the Irish horse.