WATCH: Irish troops prepare for historic final Lebanon mission

Almost 300 members of the Defence Forces are preparing to deploy to southern Lebanon as Ireland’s long-standing peacekeeping mission approaches a potential end.

Irish soldiers are completing their final preparations in County Wicklow ahead of what is expected to be Ireland’s last large-scale peacekeeping deployment to southern Lebanon.

The 69th Infantry Group is undertaking its Mission Readiness Exercise (MRE) in the Glen of Imaal ahead of its deployment in November, when almost 300 personnel will travel overseas to serve with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

The contingent will take over duties from the 128th Infantry Battalion, which deployed in May 2026, continuing Ireland’s contribution to the international peacekeeping mission that began in 1978.

However, with the current UNIFIL mandate scheduled to end on December 31, the deployment carries particular significance for the Defence Forces and the generations of Irish personnel who have served in Lebanon.

A subsequent drawdown and withdrawal of UNIFIL forces is expected to take place during 2027.

Lieutenant Colonel Cormac Brady, who will lead the 69th Infantry Group, spoke about the importance of remembering those who lost their lives while serving with the mission.

“We’re very conscious of 48 members of the Defence Forces family did not return from UNIFIL,” he said.

He added that the impact of those losses on families, friends and colleagues remains an important consideration as the latest contingent prepares to deploy.

Despite the significance of the potential end of the mission, Lieutenant Colonel Brady said the immediate priority was ensuring personnel were properly prepared for the challenges ahead.

The Mission Readiness Exercise puts officers, non-commissioned officers and privates through a series of demanding scenarios designed to reflect the conditions they could encounter in southern Lebanon.

Training includes live firing, simulated mortar attacks, battlefield inoculation, casualty evacuations, ambushes and patrols.

The exercises are intended to build confidence, test operational readiness and prepare soldiers for a mission in a region that remains volatile.

The 69th Infantry Group is made up primarily of personnel from the Defence Forces’ Second Brigade area, with Dundalk’s Aiken Barracks, home to the 27th Infantry Battalion, serving as the lead unit.

The contingent includes soldiers preparing for their first overseas deployment, alongside experienced personnel returning to Lebanon for a second, third or fourth tour of duty.

For some, the upcoming mission represents a first opportunity to serve as a UN peacekeeper. For others, it could be a final deployment to a country where Irish troops have established longstanding relationships with local communities.

Sergeant Seamus O’Donnacha, preparing to serve alongside his son, Private Alex O’Donnacha, spoke of the sadness surrounding the potential conclusion of Ireland’s involvement.

Since 1978, more than 30,000 Irish troops have served in Lebanon, making the mission a significant part of the Defence Forces’ history.

As the 69th Infantry Group prepares to depart in November, its focus remains on completing training and ensuring personnel are ready for the responsibilities ahead, while carrying forward a peacekeeping tradition spanning almost five decades.