Mayor expresses condolence to family and friends of Private Sean Rooney 

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Sandra Duffy has sent her condolences to the family and friends of Private Sean Rooney who has tragically lost his life on a UN peace keeping mission in Lebanon. 

The 23 year old from Newtowncunningham died after two armoured vehicles carrying members of the 121st Infantry Battalion came under fire near Sidon around 30 miles south of Beirut. 

“I know I speak for everyone in the City and District in sending my thoughts and prayers to Private Rooney’s family circle at this immensely sad and difficult time,” she said. 

“It is an unimaginable loss of a young man in the prime of his life when he had so much to look forward to.  

“Everyone in the North West is thinking of Sean’s family and the wider community in Newtowncunningham where he was well known.” 

Private Rooney was part of the Irish army’s peace keeping service in Lebanon, a service they have carried out for decades. 

He joined the defence forces in March 2019 and his home unit was the 27th Infantry Battalion in Dundalk.