An Cosantóir the official magazine of the Irish Defence Forces and Reserve Defence Forces.
Issue link: https://digital.jmpublishing.ie/i/54063
20 | SaMe but DIFFeReNt - LEBANON 2011 BY RSM NOEL O'CALLAGHAN (104 INF BN) 4 FD ARTY REG Irish patrol along the Blue Line who lived there. It was into such an arena that Irish troops were deployed under the flag of the United Na- tions peace-keeping force with UNIFIL. The mission was intended to bring peace, hope and some normality to ordinary people caught up in an extraordinary situation, and to ensure basic human rights were protected, in- cluding freedom of movement for the Lebanese people. It was often a highly dangerous, daunting and seemingly endless task, not helped by the insanity, hatred and ferocity of the conflict. It was a mission that was to last over 20 years, with a heavy cost to the Irish as 46 of our soldiers who went to do their duty there lost their lives. As a very young soldier I served on two occasions in the early missions in 1978 and 1981. After my last tour of duty there in 2000/01 I felt that I after over 20 years commitment to keeping the peace we were leaving Lebanon with a sense of achievement, An Cosantóir February 2012 n 1978 a savage conflict in Lebanon had plunged this beautiful country into a battle zone in which turmoil, death, darkness and chaos reigned over the people and with a vast improvement in the quality of life of the Lebanese people and to the infrastructure within the UNIFL area of operations. In 2006 the Irish returned to Lebanon after conflict had broken out again, and for a short period we again played our part in securing a safe and secure environ- ment for the people. After that mission I believed the Irish had seen the last of Lebanon and I never expected to return there for another tour of duty. Yet now in 2011 the Irish have re- turned to South Lebanon, where conflict still simmers in the background, to support the Lebanese government in securing peace and holding the Blue Line in accordance with the UN mandate. The intervening years have not changed the landscape, which can be beautiful but harsh when it comes to patrolling under the heat of the sun, with dust, flies and mosquitoes added-in just for good measure. Counter-IED drills are key to patrolling; nothing is left to chance, as patrols are long and hard and everyone