Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

€2 a Month €5 a Month One-off amount
safe and sound

Joy and tears as Irish Golan Heights troops are reunited with their families

The soldiers spent six months in the Middle East flashpoint.
11.16am, 8 Apr 2015
16.5k
12

Updated at 11am

THERE WERE EMOTIONAL scenes in Dublin Airport late last night as Irish troops returned home from a peacekeeping mission in the Golan Heights.

One hundred soldiers from the 46th Infantry Group, United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) were united with family after their six months in the Middle East flashpoint.

The Golen Heights has been a scene of heightened tensions in recent months, due to continuing civil war in Syria as well as the spread of Islamic State, with Israel bolstering defences along the border.

Check out the scenes of joy – and tears – in Terminal One last night:

Irish troops arrive home
1 / 12

  • Irish troops arrive home

    Commandant Owen McNally from Kildare and his daughter Tara (6) and son Ciaran (9).Source: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

  • Irish troops arrive home

    Frank Black with partner Eimear O'Keeffe (DJ Nikki Hayes) and their daughter Farah Black.Source: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

  • Irish troops arrive home

    Pte. Brian McCabe from Navan and his two-year-old daughter Emily.Source: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

  • Irish troops arrive home

    Commandant David Slattery from Limerick and his Zoey (1) and son Zayne (3).Source: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

  • Irish troops arrive home

    Derek Egan from Athlone with fiancée Lindsey McCrossan.Source: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

  • Irish troops arrive home

    Corporal Patrick Behan from Kildare with his wife Dierdre, sone Sean (8) and daughter Emma (5)Source: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

  • v

    Glenn Ahearne from Finglas is welcomed home by his familySource: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

  • Irish troops arrive home

    CQS John Christy from Navan is welcomed home by his three-year-old daughter Zoe.Source: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

  • Irish troops arrive home

    Derek Egan from Athlone with fiancée Lindsey McCrossan.Source: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

  • Irish troops arrive home

    Pte. Gary O'Connor from Athlone with his fiance Joanne Mullally, right, and her sister Paula Mullally.Source: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

  • Irish troops arrive home

    Pte. Gary O'Connor from Athlone with his mother Marie O'Connor, his fiance Joanne Mullally, 2nd from right, and her sisters Mary Sherlock, left, and Paula MullallSource: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

  • Irish troops arrive home

    Pte. Jamie Devlin from Longford and is 16-month-old daughter Tilly.Source: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

Read: Here’s what St. Patrick’s Day looks like to Irish soldiers in war-torn hotspots >

More: Two rockets fired from Syria hit Israel, says army – so they’re returning fire >

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More Support The Journal

Author
View 12 comments
Send Tip or Correction
Close
12 Comments
    Keniby
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Keniby
    Favourite Keniby
    Report
    Mar 10th 2023, 8:11 AM

    I’m not usually one to heap praise on the government but everyone is a genius in hindsight.
    I felt they reacted very well in the beginning to an unknown and terrifying virus.
    I had expected the usual approach of lagging behind and reacting to developments but they got ahead of it and everything was taken care of.
    If they spent or bought too much stock? Better than too little in the face of the unknown.
    Toibin is trying to score easy points.
    His suggestion that anyone could have come up with the app is laughable.

    168
    Paul Cunningham
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Cunningham
    Favourite Paul Cunningham
    Report
    Mar 10th 2023, 8:44 AM

    @Keniby: I feel Ireland was poor in the beginning tbh, especially watching from Vietnam where things got strict as soon as they noticed China was quiet on saying anything and a normal life was had for a good year while most of the world was locked down. Ireland felt very reactionary and never proactive during the early stages. It didn’t feel like the government knew the severity of what was going on until March and NPHET became the real leaders. But compared to countries like the US and Brazil, Ireland did well enough. The population knowing from how bad we had it with diseases in the recent past and getting vaccinated really helped in the long run too.

    46
    Jack Johnson
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jack Johnson
    Favourite Jack Johnson
    Report
    Mar 10th 2023, 8:46 AM

    Anyone who has worked in the IT sector will have seen this before, somebody with no knowledge or experience saying “it should be easy to build the website/app/system” without any deep understanding of what is actually involved.

    114
    SkylineSi
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute SkylineSi
    Favourite SkylineSi
    Report
    Mar 10th 2023, 9:53 AM

    @Jack Johnson: exactly! Plus its not just the app, its all the backend of the infrastructure. I thought it would have been considered money well spent at the time for what we got vs the cost

    54
    ⚡ Seánie ⚡
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ⚡ Seánie ⚡
    Favourite ⚡ Seánie ⚡
    Report
    Mar 10th 2023, 9:05 AM

    Awhhh I’ll miss someone asking how I am every morning

    85
    Stephen Grehan
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen Grehan
    Favourite Stephen Grehan
    Report
    Mar 10th 2023, 3:00 PM

    A fella goes to his doctor for a check up and ask’s how long do you think this covid will last, and he replys how the hell would i know i’m a doctor not a politician.

    27
    Bass Boss
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bass Boss
    Favourite Bass Boss
    Report
    Mar 10th 2023, 11:25 AM

    appli pour berger.. les moutons doivent suivre sinon..

    3
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
The Morning Lead
Roads, houses and water: Ireland's biggest ever infrastructure plan to be announced today
Christina Finn
6 hrs ago
4.6k
39
Deir el-Balah
Israeli forces detain WHO staff members after attacks on warehouse and residence
7 hrs ago
5.7k
Anna Mooney
Man gets life sentence for wife's murder after gardaí find video of fatal attack on his phone
15 hrs ago
59.2k
The Journal supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at https://www.presscouncil.ie, PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1800 208 080 or email: mailto:info@presscouncil.ie