Three javelin weapons have been fired in the Glen of Imaal in Co Wicklow, as the 123rd Infantry Battalion prepares for deployment to south Lebanon next month as part of the UNIFIL forces there.
334 Irish troops will join nine personnel from Malta there.
Eighty-six personnel will be travelling for the first time and they come from 25 counties across Ireland.
Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Mac Eoin is the Commanding Officer of the 123rd Battalion and he said conditions on the ground in Lebanon are currently tense.
Three javelin weapons have been fired in the Glen of Imaal in County Wicklow as the 123rd Infantry Battalion prepares for deployment to South Lebanon next month as part of the UNIFIL forces there @rtenews pic.twitter.com/hbEThRoVXj
— Eleanor Burnhill (@ElMcM) October 19, 2023
"There are exchanges of fire, both north and south across the blue line," he explained but, but said soldiers there who have had to take shelter in position in recent weeks are well trained.
There was also a recent rocket attack on UNIFIL HQ where eight Irish soldiers are based.
"The soldiers are responding well to it, they would have been through exactly the same training and process that we're going through today.
"And that training is designed actually to prepare the soldiers for just that type of scenario," Lt Col Mac Eoin said.
Lt Col Mac Eoin said Irish troops were not new to peacekeeping and the situation they are facing in Lebanon at the moment is everything that they have trained for.
"This year, in fact, marks 45 years since Irish troops first began their contribution to UNIFIL. So we have a number of mechanisms for engaging with the local population."
He said the fact that "we're very open naturally, within our culture, we're outward looking," would stand the peacekeepers in good stead.
"I've been on lots of different missions in different parts of the world. And I think it is a fundamental sort of truism that human nature, people like to get together and much of our stories are the same no matter where you go in the world.
"I don't think South Lebanon is any different."
He said the civilian population was experiencing a lot of issues and it was one of the Irish military's mandated tasks to be there to support them. He said the protection of civilians was what peacekeepers do "and we're prepared and trained to do that."
Asked if things in Lebanon had changed on the ground since the death there of Irish soldier Private Seán Rooney, Lt Col Mac Eoin said he did not want to comment as there is an ongoing investigation.
However, he said: "We’re very conscious that we're approaching the anniversary of his death in December of this year," and said a memorial service will be held for him then.
He said the mission on the ground had not changed, but what was happening at the moment is an evolving situation that has meant their training is kept up to date.
"Our troops would regularly rehearse, for example, a scenario where patrols might come under fire, or might have a denial in their freedom of movement" along certain routes. He said Irish troops were ready for that.
Lt Col Mac Eoin Mac Eoin said Irish troops currently in Lebanon and those due to head over there were "well aware of what they were facing".
He said today's mission readiness exercise was helping to prepare for just such a scenario when things get difficult.
He said: "There is no scenario that the troops have encountered out there yet, that they haven't been trained for. Everything from how they move to how they communicate, how they medicate, how they shoot and what first protection measures they might take.
"Ultimately for a lot of the young men and women who are travelling, this is actually what they joined for. There is a sense of adventure and a sense of excitement and also a desire to get out there and try to make the place better in terms of the peacekeeping ethic and the peacekeeping culture.
Lt Col Mac Eoin said that although 86 troops will be going overseas for the very first time, the battalion has a lot of experience too.
"That's just about 25% of the total cohort, some of them are going overseas for the first time in a junior leader position, for example a Corporal section commander," he said.
He said a number of elements would present challenges but the Irish Defence Forces were not new to this and were very proud of their peacekeeping duties.
"This year in fact marks 45 years since when Irish troops first began their contribution to UNIFIL. We have a number of mechanisms for engaging with the local population. I would suggest the fact that we're very open naturally and within our culture, we're outward looking peacekeepers by trade, stands us in good stead."
He said the Defence Forces went out of its way to project what can be termed the "soft approach" by meeting with village leaders and going to markets to exchange stories with the locals. He said it was not all about the harder edge, despite a readiness to use weapons if necessary.
He added: "Obviously there are a variety of actors in the region, some non-State actors and then of course its just ordinary families, men and women like us, and I think there's a commonality there we're very happy to share."
Private Matt Kinnaird, 20, from Co Wexford, is the youngest personal being deployed.
He said his family is nervous, but he added: "I'm reassuring them about all the training that we're carrying out here in the Glen and all the training we've done."
He said he is absolutely ready following the training, which has been comprehensive.
"It’s very robust training. Live fire, counter IED training and medical training," he explained.
Essie O'Connell, 25, from Cork city, said the training was going well.
She said: "We're training for all eventualities out there. We're using different weapons systems."
She added the high standard of training meant she was not very nervous about going over to Lebanon.
She is one of 20 women being deployed and said she had assured her family: "We're prepared for whatever happens out there."
