Heroic soldier Sean Rooney is to be laid to rest with full military honours, the Defence Forces said yesterday.
The private, whose remains were flown home from Lebanon yesterday morning, will be buried on Thursday in Co Donegal. The Requiem Mass for the 23-year-old will be held at the Holy Family Church, Dundalk, Co Louth – where the soldier spent much of his short life and where he was based with the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion.
But the army said his burial service will take place at All Saints Catholic Church, Colehill, Co Donegal, at around 3.30pm. Although born in Dundalk, the soldier moved to Newtowncunningham at the age of 12 with his family – although he kept strong ties to the Co Louth town.
Read more: Lord Mayor of Dublin opens online book of condolences in memory of Private Sean Rooney
A Defence Forces statement said: “The removal of the remains of Pte Sean Rooney RIP to Holy Family Church, Dundalk will take place on Thursday at 8.30am for 9am Mass. This will be followed by a burial service in All Saints Catholic Church, Colehill, Donegal. He will be buried with full military honours.”
The Defence Forces released Pte Rooney’s funeral details shortly after his remains arrived at Air Corps HQ at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, south Co Dublin yesterday. His body was transported on an Air Corps CASA aircraft which flew through the night from Beirut International Airport.
Sean’s remains left Beirut Airport on Sunday afternoon after a solemn UN ceremony was held to honour the soldier ahead of his journey home. He was accompanied on the flight by a number of his colleagues from 121 Infantry Battalion, including his company commander.
A short prayer service was held after his body was returned to his family, who were given some private time with his remains. His grieving mother Natasha, fiancee Holly, his mother’s partner Paul, three uncles and his grandfather Eugene were among those present as his coffin was carried from the aircraft.
Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Micheal Martin also attended. The white coffin, draped in an Irish tricolour, was carried by a number of pall bearers and was driven away in a hearse accompanied by a Garda escort shortly afterwards. Trooper Kearney, who is from Killeagh, Co Cork, was badly injured in the attack and remains in a serious condition in hospital.
Two other peacekeepers were treated for minor injuries. The soldiers were part of 121st Infantry Battalion, comprising 333 Irish troops, which was deployed in November to south Lebanon as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.
Read more: Body of fallen soldier Sean Rooney arrives back in Ireland
On Sunday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar reiterated his condolences to Pte Rooney’s family and friends and colleagues in the Defence Forces. He said it is important to understand the circumstances of the attack. Three investigations are under way: one led by the UN, another by the Defence Forces and a third by the Lebanese government. Mr Varadkar said: “I would have confidence in those investigations to find out exactly what happened, why an Irish soldier lost his life and another was severely injured.
It’s important that we do that. It’s also important that we avoid any speculation, I think, at this point until those investigations are done. But the main thing, I think, this week really is to stand with and express our condolences to Pte Rooney’s family, his friends and colleagues. It’s been a long time since we lost a soldier in combat in Lebanon. But it does remind us how important that mission is.”
Mr Varadkar said the Irish peacekeeping soldiers’ efforts have allowed people “in that part of Lebanon for the last few decades to lead a relatively normal life, which wouldn’t be the case otherwise”. He added: “It’s an immensely valuable mission. More than 40,000 Irish people have served there, which is extraordinary if you think about it.”
A message on RIP stated: “Sean will be sadly missed and forever loved by his heartbroken mother Natasha and dad Paul, his adored grandparents Eugene and Rachel Rooney, nanny Ann McCloskey, his loving fiancée Holly, sisters Robyn and Carragh, brothers Callum and Benn.” News of his funeral came as Lebanese media reported investigators now believe as many as 27 shots were fired at the armoured United Nations car Pte Rooney was driving when he was killed late on Wednesday night.
It had previously been reported seven bullets hit the armoured Nissan jeep carrying him, Trooper Shane Kearney and two comrades as it drove through the village of al-Aqbiya. That claim was backed up by video of the incident, which shows the jeep driving away and up to 12 shots being fired. Reports in Beirut by the AFP press agency have also dismissed claims the jeep struck a pedestrian before the shooting.
It quoted a Lebanese judicial source as saying the allegations were baseless. Military police and Garda investigators are now in southern Lebanon and are understood to have already interviewed the two Irish soldiers who escaped serious injury in the attack.
Read more: Body of brave Irish soldier killed in ambush to arrive in Dublin today
The attack began when the jeep was heading to Beirut International Airport with another Irish UN vehicle to drop two soldiers off for a flight back home. It’s understood the jeeps got separated and Pte Rooney, a specialist driver, was trying to re-join the second car when his jeep was surrounded by an angry mob.
He sped away, but the car was shot at by at least two gunmen. At least one of the bullets hit him in the head and the car crashed – which resulted in Trooper Kearney suffering a fractured skull.
We revealed yesterday that Lebanese cops, who are also investigating the murder, quickly identified two suspects following the shooting. The pair, whose initials are MM and AZ, fled the scene and have been on the run since.
Hezbollah, the biggest armed group in the area, has denied any involvement – but sources say investigators are probing the theory that the killers were from that organisation. Lebanon has repeatedly vowed to track down and punish the Irish soldier’s killers – and Hezbollah has distanced itself from the murder.
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