LAST UPDATE | 8 Mar

THE STATE HAS presented a medal to the family of an Irish soldier killed by shelling from an Israeli post in Lebanon while on peacekeeping duty.

The award follows a lengthy campaign by his family and his former comrades to have him honoured. A total of 48 Irish soldiers have been killed on peacekeeping deployments to Lebanon as part of UNIFIL, the UN’s peacekeeping force. 

Private William Kedian died at UNP 6-42 – an outpost on the frontier between Israel and Lebanon – during fighting between Lebanese and Israeli-backed factions on 31 May 1999.

Reports from eye witnesses said that the shelling began at 5.04am that day. Private Kedian, who was 21, ran to various locations where his team were located and got eleven of his colleagues to safety. 

As he was making sure his comrades were safe, he was killed by shrapnel from an 81mm mortar round in a direct hit on the compound.

Two other soldiers, Private Ronnie Rush and Darren Clarke were also injured. Rush suffered serious injuries but survived the incident, while Clarke was less seriously injured.

Both men were part of an Irish peacekeeping force and were stationed at Renmore Barracks in Galway.

The shelling was part of a broader incident of firing between the Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army (SLA) and the militant group Hezbollah. An investigation found that the mortar was fired by the SLA. 

The probe discovered that the shell was fired from an Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and SLA position. 

Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris presented the medal to the Kedian family in Dún Uí Mhaoilíosa Barracks in Renmore, Galway. 

The Department of Defence said that the distinguished service medal is “awarded to individuals whose actions display bravery, courage, leadership, resource, or devotion to duty, and can be awarded with honour, with distinction, or with merit”.

In a documentary broadcast in 2016, Sergeant Michael Merrigan who was serving at the post described the death of his comrade.

“We took a direct hit in the camp, just before the bunker and outside the cookhouse, where Private Kedian was killed. He was probably the first person to react and he was up – he ran through each and every room, ensuring that all members were on the way to the bunker.

“So by right he could have been in that bunker first but he chose to go around and check on most rooms to make sure that everyone’s out and going towards the bunker,” he said.

Tánaiste Simon Harris at the presentation of the posthumous DSM to the Kedian family. Irish Defence Forces Irish Defence Forces

Speaking after the event this afternoon, Harris said Private Kedian showed “incredible leadership, bravery and selflessness” on the day he died.

“At a time where he could have been the first back to safety, [Private Kedian] put himself in harm’s way and ultimately sacrificed his life to ensure the safety of 11 other comrades,” the Tánaiste told reporters in Galway.

He added that it was “important” for today’s event to be held in Renmore, where Private Kedian’s loss was felt the most. Kedian is the first private soldier in the army to receive the DSM with honour. 

Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces Lt Gen Seán Clancy paid tribute to Billy Kedian and his family. 

“The sacrifice of private Billy Kedian personified the values of selflessness, courage and leadership in the Defence Forces.

“We are so proud of him, and I’m very grateful for the Tánaiste and the Government to accept the recommendation that he would be awarded, for the first time for a private soldier, to be awarded a Distinguished Service Medal with Honor, which is the least we should do to reflect the sacrifice that Billy made and what his family made in allowing him to serve,” he said. 

A medal board in the Irish Defence Forces examined the case and as a result, the Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sean Clancy cleared the way for the award of the medal. 

This recommendation was then forwarded to the then-Minister for Defence, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, who, accepted the recommendation. The next event will be that he will write directly to the Kedian family.