Be Like the Sea navigates former Navy captain Marie Gleeson's journey through a remarkable career and personal sorrow

Marie Gleeson petitioned for girls to serve at mass alongside altar boys and later pursued a career in the Irish Army, eventually entering the Navy through a cadetship. Boot camp in the Curragh introduced military life through physical exertion, discipline, repetition, and routine. A summer on the Asgard II taught her to navigate uncertainty and adapt, skills that carried through a 21-year career. She advanced from ensign to captain, serving in roles ranging from cadet training officer and peacekeeping support in Chad to strategic planning and executive assistance. Her experiences included high-stakes operations such as submarine rescue and major drug interdiction, alongside challenges integrating with male crews.

"When she was 10, Marie Gleeson petitioned for girls to be allowed to serve at mass alongside the altar boys. The anecdote, shared in the opening pages, sets the tone for this memoir from one of the first female captains in the Irish navy."

"Attempting to go with the flow, Gleeson reported to boot camp in the Curragh. The introduction to military life consisted of physical exertion, discipline, repetition and "a lot of boring stuff". She was still hankering after the army on her first day at sea as a junior cadet. A summer on the Irish national sail training vessel, the Asgard II, changed that."

"As she progressed through the ranks from ensign to captain, Gleeson's experience was varied. She recalls the tension rescuing the crew of a Canadian submarine, and a drug interdiction that seized €700m of cocaine. On land, she was a cadet training officer; supported a peacekeeping mission in Chad; was executive assistant to the flag officer commanding the Irish Naval Service; and later served as deputy director, naval strategic planning."

"Each role, or rotation with a ship's crew, provided opportunities for personal growth. While the maritime knowledge came readily, the team dynamics were trickier. In the 2000s, Gleeson's presence was sometimes the first experience the male crew had of working alongside a woman. At times, she encountered resistance. She recounts incidents that strengthened her resolve to not just persevere, but succeed."

Read at Irish Independent