Funeral to take place of Irish soldier Seán Rooney who was killed in ambush in Lebanon

An Irish peacekeeping soldier who was killed in Lebanon will be buried with full military honours later.

A member of the Irish Defence Forces, Private Seán Rooney, from Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal, was killed when his convoy came under attack last week.

The 23-year-old’s body was returned to his family after being repatriated from Lebanon on Monday.

Pte Rooney’s remains will be taken to Holy Family Church in Dundalk for 9am Mass.

He will then be taken to All Saints Catholic Church in Colehill, Co Donegal, for a burial service with full military honours later in the afternoon.

Before his body left Beirut on a flight home, 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 home by a number of colleagues from 121 Infantry Battalion, including his company commander, who are understood to have never left his side.

Another soldier who was injured in the same incident was flown back to Ireland on Wednesday to receive further medical treatment.

Irish Army Private Shane Kearney, 22, from Killeagh, Co Cork, suffered a serious head injury.

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 (Unifil).

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