Pte Seán Rooney to be buried with full military honours
Pte Rooney’s coffin was then marched to a nearby hangar, where he was reunited with members of his grieving family. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin
The body of Irish UN peacekeeping soldier Seán Rooney has been returned to his grieving family after being repatriated from Lebanon.
A member of the Irish Defence Forces, Private Rooney, from Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal, was killed on active service when his convoy came under attack in Lebanon last week.
Pte Rooney's funeral will be held on Thursday at Holy Family Church in his hometown of Dundalk. The funeral mass will begin at 9am.
The 23-year-old will be buried with full military honours at a service at All Saints Catholic Church, Donegal. It is expected his coffin will arrive in Donegal at around 3.30pm.
The Defence Forces has opened an online book of condolences for Pte Rooney.
A small number of ex-members have already begun posting messages for the young soldier's family.
His colleague, Private Shane Kearney, from Killeagh, Co Cork, was seriously injured in the incident and remains in a serious condition in hospital.
Hopes have grown that injured Trooper Kearney is making progress in his recovery. Two other peacekeepers were treated for minor injuries.
Pte Rooney's remains left Beirut Airport on an Air Corps plane on Sunday afternoon after a solemn UN ceremony was held to honour the soldier ahead of his journey home.
Before leaving Beirut, Pte Rooney was awarded a number of honours posthumously, including a peacekeeping medal from the UN and an appreciation medal from the Lebanese armed forces.
He was accompanied on the flight by a number of his colleagues from 121 Infantry Battalion, including his company commander, who are understood to have never left his side.
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Micheál Martin stood beside the landing strip.
Pte Rooney’s coffin was then marched to a nearby hangar, where he was reunited with members of his grieving family.
His mother, his fiancee, his mother’s partner, his grandfather and his three uncles who have served in the Defence Forces were among those present.
The family were afforded private time with the remains in Baldonnel and a short prayer service was conducted before the remains departed Baldonnel with a Garda escort.
The Defence Forces said that Pte Rooney was repatriated home from Lebanon by an Irish Air Corps CASA aircraft and was accompanied on this flight by a number of his colleagues from the 121 Infantry Battalion, including his company commander.
“Private Seán Rooney is now on the way home. Your duty is done a chara, you have earned your rest,” the Defence Forces had said in an earlier tweet.
Pte Rooney was killed after he and his comrades, members of 121st Infantry Battalion, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), were attacked at about 11.15pm local time, on Wednesday in a village just south of Beirut, Lebanon.
Tpr Shane Kearney, 22, from Killeagh in East Cork, suffered serious injuries in the attack. Two other soldiers who received minor injuries in the ambush have since been released from hospital.
Private Seán Rooney is now on the way home.
— Óglaigh na hÉireann (@defenceforces) December 18, 2022
Your duty is done a chara, you have earned your rest. https://t.co/nyIozrS4VD
A spokeswoman for the Defence Forces confirmed that Tpr Kearney remained in hospital on Sunday evening, in a "critical but stable condition".
Three investigations into the attack last Wednesday are currently underway. One is being led by the Unifil, another by the Defence Forces, and a third by the Lebanese government.
Speaking in Dublin on Sunday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he is confident that the investigation into what happened will be comprehensive.
"First of all, I just want to once again extend my condolences to Rooney's family and friends and colleagues in the Defence Forces," he said.
Mr Varadkar said investigations may take a little bit of time.
"It is important that we understand why this incident occurred, why an Irish soldier lost his life and another was severely injured."
"It's also important that we avoid any speculation I think at this point until those investigations are done.
"I would have confidence in those investigations to find out exactly what happened."
The Taoiseach also offered his condolences to the friends and family of Pte Rooney and to his colleagues in the Defence Forces. "We need to say to them: Thank you. Thank you for sharing him with us. Thank you for his service."
"It's really sad to have lost a young man in the way it happened. But what they do is so valuable, and it's a terrible sacrifice for any family to have to make.
Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney said Trooper Kearney is "doing well" given the seriousness of his injuries.
Trooper Kearney’s family is “waiting, hoping and praying” for his recovery, Mr Coveney told RTÉ.
"The news there is more optimistic than it has been to date. He's making progress. He's breathing again now independently. His head injuries are being managed.
"He’s doing well, given the circumstances and the seriousness of his injuries. Some optimism there, I’m glad to report."
"We’re also putting plans in place to bring him home to make sure that he can continue to get the necessary specialist supports that he needs here at home, as soon as it's safe to travel with him."
Mr Coveney said: "We will get to the bottom of what happened here, and the truth. We owe that to all of our Defence Force personnel, and in particular to Seán Rooney’s family."
A spokeswoman for the Defence Forces said it has no definitive date for when Trooper Kearney will be discharged from hospital.
"This is very much dependent on the medical staff's review of his condition."
The investigation is currently ongoing and therefore it would be inappropriate to comment on this matter any further, she added.
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