Michael Brady is the son of Maisie Tinneny of Quivvy and Michael Brady. He enlisted in the Irish Army in 1987 from Emyvale, County Monaghan and was trained in special vehicle operations at the Army barracks in County Meath.  In 1996 Mick held the rank of private and was stationed near home at the barracks at the Armagh Turn in County Monaghan. Until the peace of September 1994 Mick's unit was responsible for monitoring boarder activity and preventing border incursions. With the peace, the troubles related activity along the boarder lessened and by 1996 the focus of his unit was toward intercepting cattle being smuggled into the Republic from Northern Ireland. They were attempting to stop the flow of cattle, which were potentially carrying BSE (mad cow disease).