'My baby brother was killed within a week of his second tour of Lebanon'

Members of the Defence Forces serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon had to dodge warring militias, tank fire, and fanatical bombmakers. Neil Michael spoke to some of the families of the 47 who died in the region

Ann Lenehan, at her home near Ballyhaunis in Mayo, with a picture and the medals and beret of her late brother Billy Kedian, who was killed in the Lebanon. Picture: Paul Mealey

Ann Lenehan remembers only too well the last thing her younger brother Billy said to her. Standing in the driveway of her home in Galway, she was waving him off.

Private Billy Kedian was about to be driven away in his other sister Mary’s car on his way to Dublin Airport. From there, he was to catch a flight with other members of the Defence Forces for what was his second tour of duty with the UN in Lebanon.