Irish mark 60 years as UN peacekeepers
With a light breeze ruffling the Tricolour in the castle grounds, the President spoke of the importance of Ireland’s peacekeeping mission, which began with a small army contingent to Lebanon in 1958. He paid tribute to the 87 members of the Defence Forces, and one garda who died or were wounded on peacekeeping service.
As the army band played ‘The Last Post’, the President laid a wreath in tribute to those who had made the ultimate sacrifice. He also met peacekeeping veterans, including Colonel John Ryan, an army officer who served with the first group sent to Lebanon in 1958.
