Naas man to lead Irish troops in Golan Heights

A Naas soldier who played football for Kildare in the 1990s will be in charge of 150 Defence Forces troops heading to the Golan Heights in coming weeks.

Lt Col Daragh McKevitt will be commanding the 50th Infantry Group for its deployment with UNDOF to the Golan Heights.

Lt Col McKevitt joined the Defence Forces in 1987 as a member of the 64th Cadet Class.

He has extensive overseas experience and already served in Lebanon, Kosovo and Chad.

Lt Col McKevitt is married to Bernie and they have four children: Jack, Aoibhe, Cian and Kate.

It will be the fifth Irish contingent to deploy to the contested area between Israel and Syria under the UNDOF mandate.

The soldiers took part in a training mission in the Glen of Imaal in Co Wicklow this week.