Gemma on UN tour armed with hurley

An Irish soldier bound for Lebanon as part of the 108th Infantry Battalion UNIFIL intends to get in plenty of shooting practice while in the Middle East.

Along with her Steyr rifle, Corporal Gemma O’Connor will be packing two hurleys and a bag of sliotars to ensure her camogie skills are kept fully sharpened during her six-month tour with the 108th UNIFIL battalion.

Gemma, who holds five All-Ireland senior camogie medals with Cork and seven All-Stars, took part in the review at Sarsfield Barracks, Limerick, yesterday in front of Minster of State Paul Kehoe.

With this tour of duty, which commences on May 9, Gemma, will collect her third UN service medal, having already served in Chad and Liberia.

Corporal O’Connor, aged 27, who plays with St Finbarr’s, said: “I got this opportunity to go overseas to Lebanon and decided to take it. Unfortunately it runs throughout the camogie championship, but what can you do? Sometimes you have to put work first.

“This will be the first year not playing senior championship camogie with Cork since 2002, but hopefully I’ll be back on the team next year. I’m bringing hurleys, sliotars, and I’ll tip away out there and keep the touch going for the six months. I’ll find a wall somewhere to keep beating sliotars off.”

She said the craic in the army will compensate for the camogie team camaraderie.

“The girls are just as mad as the army lads,” said Gemma. “I’d take either or.”

Private Amy Nolan, from Castlecomber, Co Kilkenny, who is going on her first UN tour of duty, will have older brother Darren to keep an eye on her. Darren, 34, is going on his seventh UN mission.

“He is giving me plenty of advice, all the ins and outs,” said Amy, 23. “Our dad Michael is retired from the army. He was a corporal in Kilkenny barracks.”

The 332-strong 108th Unifil battalion will be led by Lt Col Tony McKenna, who will be on his seventh UN tour.