Devastated Pastor Says ‘Community Is Behind’ Family Of Wounded Trooper Shane Kearney

Trooper Kearney and Private Rooney were part of a convoy of two armored vehicles (AUVs) with eight personnel traveling to Beirut when they came under fire. Two of the eight were about to fly home for family funerals.

Trooper Kearny underwent emergency surgery after the incident and his current condition is said to be critical but stable.

A vigil was held for him tonight at 7.30pm at Killeagh and Inch Parish Church. Pastor, Father Tim Hazelwood, said earlier in the evening, “Shane is a big part of the community.”

Fighting back tears while speaking on RTÉs Driving time program, Father Hazelwood said news of the attack has come as a “great shock” locally.

“Shane plays hurling, this is fanatical hurling country.

“He played this year, and a nice pitcher. He had some success with his school. He attended St. Coleman’s Community School in Middleton and the local elementary school.”

Father Hazlewood said that Trooper Kearney’s family has “invited everyone to come”, as they feel “the more prayers, the more likely Shane will make a safe recovery”. He said the family “is struggling”.

‘They think of young people [Seán] Rooney who died,” he said.

“That’s why we wanted it [the vigil]… just to show support and solidarity and it will be hard for them, but it will also be good for them. They just want him home.

“I think it’s because nothing has happened for 20 years, we felt they were safe. Then this happens, and the reality is they are never safe. They are great guys to do it.”

On the same program, the Commander of the Irish Defense Forces, Gemma Fagan, said that Trooper Kearney is receiving the best possible care at a UN hospital.

Two other members of Trooper Kearney’s convoy were also injured in the attack and their injuries are not life-threatening. All three men were taken to a hospital in Sidon, where Trooper Kearney underwent emergency surgery, and later transferred to a UN hospital in Hammuth.

“We also have a senior Irish medical officer in the hospital there with them, who is making sure our personnel are given all the care, the highest level of care, they can get at the moment to make sure our troops are okay. ,” she said.

“They are receiving the absolute best care we can offer them at this time.”

Comdt Fagan confirmed that Armed Forces liaison officers are supporting all families who had loved ones in the convoy.

An army crisis incident response team will travel to Lebanon on Saturday. Comdt Fagan said members of the team have expertise in stress management.

She also said every effort will be made to bring Private Rooney’s remains home “as soon as possible”.

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Simon Coveney told RTÉ’s Six One News: “This is a very sad day for the broad family of the armed forces. They will feel this loss in a significant way, but our first thoughts are with the family of Private Seán Rooney.

“We will do everything we can to help them through a difficult period. We owe it to the family to conduct a very full and comprehensive investigation to fully understand what happened.”

Coveney said he had spoken with Lebanese officials and they agreed to “fully cooperate” with the investigation into the attack.

Secretary Coveney said he had spoken to the Security Council today (Thursday) and that one of the “mandates” for peacekeeping missions, he said, was not just that “belligerents” be separated while “peace and stability” are maintained. There was also always a “focus on protecting our own personnel, who put themselves at risk.”

“This has been a stable peacekeeping mission for some time,” Coveney added.

“There have been no fatalities in UNIFIL for two decades. What happened in the past day has changed that. We need to understand that.”

The route taken by the UNIFIL convoy had been covered most days, Mr Coveney said.

He had even traveled the route himself. But when Private Rooney was killed, something had changed, he explained.

“Two armored cars broke up and one of them was broken up by a mob, causing shots to be fired.

“One of our members was killed and another was injured. It worries us greatly. We want to support the family and families connected to this and armed forces personnel affected by this in the coming days. We will set up the structures to understand what happened.

The minister said he “No, we don’t take any guarantees (from Hezbollah or any group)”, after the group failed to claim responsibility for the attack.

“Until we complete a full investigation, I’m not going to read statements,” he added.

“We owe it to the armed forces and those serving abroad as peacekeepers and especially to the family who must cope with an extraordinary loss.

“I will consult with the UN Secretary-General to get the full resources for the UN investigation – that must be done.”

Lieutenant Colonel Gavin Young, head of overseas operations, in the Armed Forces told RTÉ: “There is always risk in our operations.”

However, it was vital that he first “express our condolences to the family of Private Seán Rooney, who woke up this morning to this tragic news,” he added.

Lieutenant Colonel Young also expressed his thoughts to Trooper Shane Kearney’s family, “who also have some hard news to digest.”

He added that he was also thinking about the battalion, which is “dealing with the fallout from this tragic incident last night”.

“There is inherent risk in all of our operations abroad,” he added.

The patrol was “routine,” he said, but there were “tragic results” after the peacekeepers came under attack.

“Patrols have been attacked and threatened (in the past),” he said. “But we have (seen) nothing like the intensity of the attack that happened last night.

“We are working to release Private Rooney’s remains. The first person to know (when that happens) will be his family, his home unit, and then (the information) will be passed on to the general public.