Soldier killed in Lebanon named as Private Seán Rooney; Cork soldier among three injured

Private Seán Rooney who was killed in an ambush by a “hostile mob” and Trooper Shane Kearney who was seriously injured in the attack. Picture: Óglaigh na hÉireann

The Irish soldier who was killed in an ambush by a “hostile mob” while on UN peacekeeping duty in Lebanon has been named as Private Seán Rooney.

Private Seán Rooney, 23, a native of Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal, who grew up in Dundalk and whose family is steeped in military tradition, was fatally wounded after the UN jeep he was driving was attacked in a village just south of Beirut at about 9.15pm Irish time, 11.15pm local time, on Wednesday night.