Irish troops bound for Lebanon: ‘Doing my duty is different now I have children’

As Minister for Defence Simon Coveney reviewed 189 troops at Sarsfield Barracks, Limerick, yesterday, prior to their departure for a six-month tour of duty of the Lebanon, it was a bittersweet occasion for the second-in-command of the 47th Infantry group, Comdt Bryan Carley, and his wife Suzie Lacey.

The couple met 14 years ago when Comdt Carley served with the Irish troops in Kosova and Suzie went there to film Irish troops serving there.

“This is my sixth trip abroad with the defence forces but my first since our two children, Aliana, aged four, and Paddy, 20 months, were born,” said Comdt Carley. “My last trip was in 2010 to Chad. So it will be different now with two kids.”