"The unjustifiable killing of Private Sean Rooney and serious injury to Trooper Shane Kearney in the course of their duty in UNIFIL reinforces the unique nature of service in the Defence Forces, and the exceptional skills of Defence Forces personnel.”
- 08:41, 10 MAY 2023
Members of the Irish Defence Forces carry the coffin of Private Sean Rooney from Holy Family Church, Dundalk, Co Louth (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)
Private Sean Rooney who was killed in Lebanon was honoured at the opening of the PDFORRA conference on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old was shot in the head as he drove an armoured jeep away from the crowd of attackers in the south of the country in December.
He became the 48th Irish soldier to die keeping the peace in Lebanon in the Defence Forces 44-year mission to the war-torn country – but was the first to lose his life in more than 20 years.
One of the three other soldiers in the jeep, Cavalry Trooper Shane Kearney from Cork, also suffered several fractures to his skull when the United Nations jeep was overturned following the shooting.
Lieutenant General Seán Clancy, who is Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces said: “Since I last addressed this forum, just eight short months ago in Ballybofey, Co. Donegal, several significant events have impacted on our organisation.
“In the short time since my last address to this forum, all of us in the Defence Forces have witnessed the extent of the sacrifice inherent in military service.
“While the implementation of UNIFIL’s strategic mandate at the operational level by our Soldiers, Sailors, and Aircrew is fraught with complexity, the unjustifiable killing of Private Sean Rooney and serious injury to Trooper Shane Kearney in the course of their duty in UNIFIL reinforces the unique nature of service in the Defence Forces, and the exceptional skills of Defence Forces personnel.”
He stressed that peacekeeping “is a significant personal sacrifice” and this “necessitates the acceptance of risk to secure peace in some of the most challenging areas of the world, far from our peaceful Island.”
The high-ranking officer added: “The pursuit of this noble cause is what makes us unique, and requires courage and fortitude, not only from our personnel but also from their families.
“At this time, we remember the family of Pte Sean Rooney and all those families who have suffered the immeasurable loss of a loved one in the cause of peace and we continue to draw comfort from the strength and resilience shown by Trooper Shane Kearney in his recovery.”