Officer says Seán Rooney's death brings back memories of his own brother's killing

The body of of Irish UN peacekeeping soldier Seán Rooney arriving at Casement Aerodrom after being repatriated from Lebanon. Photo: Tom Honan/PA

A former Defence Forces officer whose brother was murdered in Lebanon has said last week's killing of Private Seán Rooney has brought back more than 35 years of pain.

When retired Commandant Conal Murphy heard the news last Thursday he said it brought him right back to when his brother Lieutenant Aonghus Murphy was killed.

Aonghus, whose late father Major General Kevin Murphy was both quartermaster general and adjutant general of the Defence Forces before he retired, was killed on August 21, 1986, while serving with 59 Infantry Battalion UNIFIL.

He had been deliberately blown up on the road between the villages of Haddathah and At-Tiri in southern Lebanon by an improvised explosive device (IED).

That Aonghus’ murderer was never brought to justice is something that not only rankles with the Murphy family but also remains a common strand with a lot of the families of the 46 who died serving with Unifil before Private Rooney was killed last week.

Speaking ahead of the funeral on Thursday of Private Rooney, who was killed when his armoured vehicle came under fire late last Wednesday night, he said: “It brings a lot of our own situation back.

“My heart goes out to the family waiting in the rain at Baldonnel on Monday, waiting for his remains.

“I am sure they are going through a horrible ordeal and my thoughts and prayers are with them. It reminded me of my brother’s death and my heart just stirred for Private Rooney’s family at home. 

“I have walked in their footsteps. I really feel for them.

Lieutenant Aonghus Murphy was killed in Lebanon while serving with UNIFIL in 1986. Photo: Ray Ryan

“It’s a tough ordeal that they are being confronted with now. It’s a process, and you have to go through it. Maybe in some sense, you come out the other side, but that will take time, and it will be very difficult for his mother."

On the outcome he would like to see from the three ongoing investigations into what happened last week, he said there is one word: “Justice.” 

“I would love to see justice for his family," said Commandant Murphy. “But I am not sure, given the situation on the ground between the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Hezbollahs and these people - will it happen? I would love to see it.

"He was deliberately killed in my view and that’s murder. He wasn’t defending himself or shooting at somebody or whatever. He wasn’t in combat.

He was murdered, cold blooded.

Private Rooney’s colleague, Private Shane Kearney, from Killeagh, Co. Cork, was seriously injured in the incident between the southern Lebanon village of Aaqbiyeh, and the Baissariye road.

He was not shot but is understood to have suffered a “blunt force trauma” while two other colleagues received minor injuries.

Last Wednesday’s incident is being investigated by the UN, by the Lebanese Armed Forces and by the Defence Forces, with assistance from gardaí.