The last Irish troops stationed in Syria have returned home, expressing their delight and relief to be back on Irish soil, as the Defence Forces ends its peacekeeping mission in the Golan Heights.
After a decade of peacekeeping service in the area, Ireland has withdrawn from the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) which monitors the border between Syria and Israel.
A total of 133 Irish troops from the 68th Infantry Group were involved in the six-month deployment, most of them belonging to the 6th Infantry Battalion from Custume Barracks in Athlone.
For 34 of them, this was their first overseas deployment.
The mission was a success, Private Callum Lynch said, and "everyone came home safe".
"For me, it was my longest time being away from home," he added. "It was tough but there was a lot of us first-timers, so we were all in the same boat, so we kind of brought each other along."
His mother Rosa described the occasion as "very emotional".
"Every day was hard, but when you know he was safe, and they were doing everything they had to do, it made it easier."
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Private Neil McManus, reunited with his wife Lisa and daughter Lucy, said that it was "brilliant" to be back home.
"It's an awesome feeling, great to be back with family," he said.
Asked if this deployment had been a worrying time, Pte McManus' wife Lisa said: "This time, yes, absolutely, more so than ever."
"That's why is just a relief now to have them home safe," she added.
'Great to be involved'
The troops returned on a chartered flight direct from Camp Faouar and arrived into Dublin Airport this afternoon, where they were met by family and friends.
Defence Forces' equipment, such as armoured personal carriers, are being transported to Ireland via cargo ship from Beirut harbour.
Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin informed the Government of his decision to withdraw the Defence Forces' contribution to UNDOF in March of last year.
The decision followed the conclusion of an assessment of the sustainability of the Defence Forces’ overseas commitments.
As a result of this assessment, and on the basis of military advice, the decision was taken to withdraw the Infantry Group.
Company Quartermaster Serena Roche said that she was "delighted" to be back home with her family.
"We're all happy to be together again."
While it is "sad" that Irish troops will not be be returning to the Golan Heights, she said that "it was great to be involved in the last trip".
Independent TD and former Army Ranger Cathal Berry, who served in the Golan Heights, said that while missions come and go, Irish troops have never had to leave a mission due to lack of staff before.
Mr Berry told RTÉ's Morning Ireland that "significant" reputational damage has been done by pulling out of the mission.
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When the mission began 12 years ago, the Syrian civil war had just started and Austria decided that it was too dangerous to keep its troops stationed there.
Deputy Berry said that Irish troops went in and held the line for more than a decade.
"There is reputational damage that we now have to withdraw," Mr Berry said. "But when the mission started for instance, there was 10,500 people in the Irish Defence Forces, and 12 years later there is only 7,500 left".
Additional reporting by Joan O'Sullivan
