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Lieutenant Colonel Brendan Delany, pictured with his family, wife Mairead, Niamh (11), Joe (14) and Siobhan (15) today at Cathal Brugha Barracks. Photocall Ireland

Pictures: Irish troops on parade in Rathmines sunshine ahead of Syria mission

The 115 members of the 43rd Infantary Group were reviewed by Minister Alan Shatter before gathering with their families ahead of the first deployment tomorrow.

THE IRISH DEFENCE Forces members due to head out to Syria in the coming days took part in the traditional ‘review of the troops’ ceremony in warm September sunshine this afternoon. The ‘first chalk’ of the group is set to fly out to the Middle East tomorrow, with the remainder departing on the 18th.

They will be taking part in the long-established UNDOF mission in the Golan Heights region, on the border with Israel.

Established in 1973 following the Yom Kippur War, the UN mission was set up to maintain the ceasefire between the two countries. Its mandate has been renewed every six months, but this is the first time Irish troops will take part.

Defence Minister Alan Shatter sought to allay safety concerns as he spoke after the ceremony at Cathal Brugha Barracks in Rathmines, saying that safety was always “a primary concern” with every mission.

“We have a very competent and well trained Defence Forces,” the Minister said.

“By virtue of the nature of the work you are going to troubled regions,” he noted, adding that the troops had a “very important role to play” in ensuring the conflict didn’t spill over into a dispute between Syria and Israel.

(Youtube: TheJournalVideo)

The oldest personnel member taking part will be 58-year-old CQMS Tony Fitzgerald, who has completed ten tours of duty so far; his first in Sinai in 1974 as a rifleman. The youngest is 21-year-old Private David Ross.

Drawn primarily from the 2nd Brigade of the Army (which covers the northern half of the country), the troops will be commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Brendan Delaney, who has previously completed tours in East Timor and Lebanon – as well as six months in Syria and a tour of duty with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

Brendan spoke to TheJournal.ie about the troops’ preparations, what they will be doing on a day-to-day basis, and the protocol they’ve been trained to observe in the event of chemical weapons attacks:

(Youtube: TheJournalVideo)

Infantry Group Delployed to Golan Heights
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  • Infantry Group Delployed to Golan Heights

    Source: Mark Stedman
  • Infantry Group Delployed to Golan Heights

    Source: Mark Stedman
  • Infantry Group Delployed to Golan Heights

    Source: Mark Stedman
  • Infantry Group Delployed to Golan Heights

    Source: Mark Stedman
  • Infantry Group Delployed to Golan Heights

    Source: Mark Stedman
  • Infantry Group Delployed to Golan Heights

    Source: Mark Stedman
  • Infantry Group Delployed to Golan Heights

    Source: Mark Stedman

All photos: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

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32 Comments
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    Mute Evan Murphy
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 7:15 PM

    My cousins just left today and hope he and the rest all come home safe. :(

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    Mute Sexy Taoiseach
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 8:51 PM

    We all do

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    Mute Eric Wrafter
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 6:43 PM

    Come home safe.

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    Mute james cullen
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 7:34 PM

    Be safe and we are very proud of u

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    Mute M
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 6:32 PM

    Hope they have a lighter uniform to wear, very hot here at the moment!

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    Mute Nidgeweasel
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 8:13 PM

    Eeeeeejits get a real job

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    Mute Alan Kelleher
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 8:37 PM

    @nidgeweasel can I ask what you work at?

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    Mute Adrian
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 9:36 PM

    The Irish Defence forces’ record abroad has been one of honour and professionalism.
    Please be safe and Good luck.

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    Mute Tristan Ua Ceithearnaigh
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 6:43 PM

    Cannon fodder for the Israeli’s, mission accomplished for the minister of Israel, Alan Shatter.

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    Mute rotund jocularity
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 6:58 PM

    Idiotic comment. Oaf.

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    Mute Janette Kelly
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 7:04 PM

    What an Ass

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    See 1 more reply ▾
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    Mute Usawadee Wannapho
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 7:12 PM

    With a name like Tristan, what would you expect.

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    Mute Edward Carr
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 8:16 PM

    God bless you all and be safe

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    Mute Conor McGuinness
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 8:20 PM

    [continued]
    Add to this the fact that Minister Shatter is a keen supporter of Israel and is very open about it. Shatter has two portfolios, making him a cabinet hard hitter. He also leads a very strong liberal wing within FG, giving him further clout within Government. As minister for defence he would had been the one briefing the cabinet, and arguing for involvement.
    Against this backdrop it is reasonable to conclude that this mission is more than a little about supporting regional and world powers’ intentions in Syria.
    It might all be coincidental of course, but Tristan’s claim is far from absurd and is wholly plausible.

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    Mute Mjhint
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 10:11 PM

    I hope they have a safe tour & return to their families safe & sound. We should be proud of these great peace keepers. They do whatever is asked of them.

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    Mute Sexy Taoiseach
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 6:52 PM

    Bit worrying the way the colonel side stepped how well they are prepared for chemical attack.

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    Mute AlanH -AFC
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 7:56 PM

    You can rest assured the Irish Defence Forces are more than capable of protecting themselves and others from whatever form of attacks. A truly professional military who easily hold their own when matched with current modern Army’s

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    Mute Sexy Taoiseach
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 8:08 PM

    Totally agree they are well trained bunch and I am very proud of them. However the chemical thing did catch my attention and hopefully they do have the necessary protection. Any word of the ARW been deployed?

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    Mute Thosj Carroll
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 6:40 PM

    Good luck to our lads…..whenever the war breaks out in Syria which gas is involved they should be sent home immediately! After all their safety is our top priory.

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    Mute Pete Cool
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 7:15 PM

    They give the age of the children but
    not his wife so in the interest of fairness – what age is Mairead?

    8
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    Mute Conor McGuinness
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 8:15 PM

    What is wrong with Tristan’s statement..?
    Perhaps it’s untrue, but it’s certainly a valid proposition.
    Irish troops will be part of a UN mission that maintains a demilitarised zone in Golan, where they sit between Israeli and Syrian lines.
    Today Israel and the US took part in a missile exercise in the Mediterranean, and Israel has admitted to two air strikes on Syria already this summer.
    The US is eager to intervene, but has no appetite for putting ground troops in. Israel has a considerable land border with Syria, knows the terrain, has better intel than anyone else in the mix, has a huge and well-oiled military, and is funded to the tune of a couple of billion each year but the US.
    It’s very plausible that air strikes by the US and France could be followed up by a limited ground assault by Israel. In fact, the amount of time that it is taking the US and France suggests to me that they are planning something that involves several parties am something more than just air strikes.
    UN troops on the border would make it difficult for Syria to repel an invasion without firing on peacekeepers by accident. On the other hand, Israel with their modern airforce and technologies would find it very easy to sidestep the UN troops. In effect the peacekeepers would act to confuse and slow a Syrian response to an Israeli invasion, and if fired upon inadvertently by Syria would create a much broader coalition for intervention and ultimately regime change.
    [continued below]

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    Mute Derek Durkin
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 7:24 PM

    Stay safe over there cause their ain’t nothing that the military industrial complex would not do to swing public opinion in their favour to further their own agenda as we well know.

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    Mute Glass Half Full
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 7:33 PM

    I’ve read that 5 times Derek and I still don’t get what you’re driving at! Must be above me.

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    Mute Derek Durkin
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 7:58 PM

    I’ll leave it to 5 star general, supreme commander of the allies forces in WW2, first commander of Nato and 2 term president of the United States in the countries most prosperous era to tell u what has happened to the US and subsequently the western world as he leaves it to his final few paragraphs of his farewell presidential speech to warn the world of its greatest danger http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y06NSBBRtY Hands up who doesn’t think they have taken over. So what i am getting at is these f**kers wil do anything to get what they want

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    Mute Rodney Monaghan
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 11:21 PM

    Be safe, do our great little nation proud and never dip your colours!

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    Mute Anthony Agusta
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 11:52 PM

    ”Spar open 250 outlets in Syria to provide breakfast rolls to troops”.

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    Mute AICS (Steve Tracey)
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 8:36 PM

    Alan & sexy T fully agree.
    Not quite as smart as The Guards (not the ones on traffic duty in blue with hi vis), still not a bad parade. Come back all of you safe and sound lads and lasses, then you can have another welcome home parade and see if drill has improved. (LOL)

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    Mute AICS (Steve Tracey)
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 8:40 PM

    Lets try again.
    Alan and Sexy fully agree.
    Nice parade although not quite up to the Guards standard (not the ones on traffic duty in hi-vis)’so lads and lasses lok after yourselves and each other, come back safe and sound and let’s see it the drill has improved on the welcome parade. (LOL)

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    Mute AICS (Steve Tracey)
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 10:42 PM

    Obviously those red thumbing have not served in any military unit, as they don’t understand inter service slagging or apparently LOL hope the lads and lasses got it,,are they the green thumbs by any chance

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    Mute Sexy Taoiseach
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 8:53 PM

    Anyone think this is a prelude to World War 3 something very uneasy about this.

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    Mute The Red Devil
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    Sep 4th 2013, 12:21 AM

    It’s a pity shatter wouldn’t go with them, see what real work is-
    Maybe he could write a book on it

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    Mute Fergal Reid
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    Sep 4th 2013, 11:17 AM

    One of the great traditions of the IDF has been charitable engagement with the local communities that their peacekeeping missions engage with. I hope our soldiers get the opportunity to build bridges in Syria in addition to trying their best to keep some peace.

    1
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