Readers like you keep news free for everyone.
More than 5,000 readers have already pitched in to keep free access to The Journal.
For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can help keep paywalls away.
Readers like you keep news free for everyone.
More than 5,000 readers have already pitched in to keep free access to The Journal.
For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can help keep paywalls away.
NOT ALL ST. Patrick’s Day celebrations take place in the Irish rain.
Some 431 Irish soldiers from our defence forces are currently deployed on peace support missions across the globe, from Lebanon to the Golan Heights, Mali to Syria.
The 181 Irish troops of the 47th Infantry Group stationed in South Lebanon (as part of UN peace-keeping duties) celebrated the day that was in it with a blessing of shamrock by their unit chaplain before the shamrock was officially presented at parade by Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Conor O’Boyle.
Most of these soldiers are from the south and west of the country, particularly Cork and Galway.
O’Boyle also laid a wreath at the the Defence Forces Monument in Tibnin to honour the Irish soldiers who have died whilst keeping the peace in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights region 138 Irish troops received the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) Medal from Major General Ralph James.
In the Congo, Western Sahara, Mali, Bosnia and Kosovo the day was celebrated with a mixture of formality and fun.
In Sierra Leone, a country recently ravaged by the Ebola outbreak, five Irish medical personnel were presented with their shamrock by the Irish Ambassador to the country Sinéad Walsh.
And closer to home, Captain Andrew O’Shaughnessy and Private Colin Fennelly posed for a photo before hitting a far more Irish warzone – Croke Park for the final of the All Ireland Club Hurling championship.
Limerick’s O’Shaughnessy will have ended up as the more crestfallen of the two unfortunately – Fennelly’s Kilkenny club Ballyhale Shamrocks triumphed over Kilmallock by 12 points.
To all the men and women of the Irish Army serving abroad, a very happy St. Patrick’s Day from TheJournal.ie.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site