An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 23 reducing troop strength to 2,000 personnel and shifting the focus to an observer-led mission. UNIFIL would now focus on contribut- ing to regional stability by monitoring the Blue Line and undertak- ing other observer tasks. While the Blue Line had experienced a much-increased degree of stability from 2000 onwards, periodic violence continued. Rocket launching by Lebanese resistance groups prompted Israeli air strikes and ground operations. This pattern of violence came to a head in 2006 when Israel once again invaded Lebanon. Con- sequently, UNIFIL returned to implementing the three principles of its original mandate, renewed and strengthened under UNSCR 1701 in August 2006. UNIFIL troop strength was expanded once again and the force now operates at a strength of over 10,000, all ranks, and is deployed to patrol bases and observation positions throughout southern Lebanon. UNIFIL's focus today remains committed to the core principles of UNSCR 1701: monitoring the cessation of hostilities, supporting the local population by contributing towards the maintenance of a safe and secure environment, and assisting the government of Lebanon in extending its full authority throughout south Lebanon. On 13th May 1978, the advance party of 43 Inf Bn arrived in Lebanon, beginning a commitment to UNIFIL that the Defence Forces has continued to this day. The deployment of a battalion to UNIFIL marked a significant milestone for the Defence Forces, being the largest deployment undertaken since the Congo over a decade previously. It was the largest force that Ireland had ever deployed to a peacekeeping mission in the Middle East, and UNIFIL would remain Ireland's largest overseas mission for the next two decades. It also represented a renewed commitment to peacekeeping, which had been overshadowed by the outbreak of the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1969. UNIFIL would also become the most costly overseas mission for the Defence Forces, as 47 Irishmen would make the ultimate sacrifice in the service of peace in South Lebanon. In the 40 years since the establishment of UNIFIL the Defence Forces have brought a uniquely Irish brand of peacekeeping, founded on compassion, fortitude and good humour, to a com- plex and volatile part of the world. The early years of UNIFIL were costly for the Defence Forces as battalions adapted to the political and military realities of South Lebanon. In April 1980 the small village of At Tiri was forever imprinted on the collective memory of Irish personnel. Clashes with the Israeli-backed SLA/DFF for control of the village resulted in the deaths of Pte Stephen Griffin, a Fijiian peacekeeper and an SLA militiaman. On 18th April a UN patrol was abducted by the SLA and Pte Derek Smallhorne and Pte Thomas Barrett were tortured and killed in revenge for the death of the militiaman. Pte John O'Mahony was wounded in the incident and later recounted what had taken place. The continued existence of the SLA and the second Israeli inva- sion, in 1982, meant that Irish personnel found themselves serving behind Israeli lines, where they operated checkpoints, conducted patrols, distributed humanitarian aid and assisted the local civil- ian population. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Irish battalions provided support and assistance to communities across their area of operations (AO), and a particularly strong connection devel- oped with Tibnine Orphanage, which continues today. The kind- ness and warmth of Irish soldiers has lived long in the memories of people across South Lebanon. With decreasing hostilities in the area and the confirmation of withdrawal of Israeli forces in 2000, the original mandate had largely been achieved, and in 2001 Ireland withdrew its infantry battalion from UNIFIL, although a small number of personnel remained with the mission headquarters in Naqoura. Following the 2006 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the Defence Forces was called upon to return in force to South Lebanon. A brief deployment of Irish troops in 2006/7 was followed by a sustained return to UNIFIL as part of a joint Finnish/Irish battalion in 2011. While initially operating from Camp Shamrock in Tibnin, Irish- FinnBatt moved to operate from a patrol base (UNP 2-45) near At Tiri, where it continues to be based today. The battalion also manned two posts overlooking the Blue Line, UNP 6-50 and UNP 6-52. Despite these changes to their AO, Irish personnel under- took their duties in the same manner that has characterised their peacekeeping operations since 1958. Today the Defence Forces, in the form of 111 Inf Bn, remains committed to UNIFIL, with 336 Irish personnel serving with 217 IrishFinnbatt in UNPs 2-45 and 6-52. The DF also has personnel stationed in Sector West Headquarters in Shama and UNIFIL HQ in Naqoura. The respect in which Irish peacekeepers are held within UNIFIL is exemplified by the appointment of Maj Gen Michael Beary as force commander in 2017. In March 2018, Finland officially announced that it would end its involvement with IrishFinnbatt as of November 2018, and would instead focus on its commitment to the Force Commander's Reserve (FCR). This announcement signals the end of a seven-year partnership between the two nations. The decision regarding what form Ireland's involvement will take after the Finnish ele- ment withdraw has yet to be confirmed; whether UNIFIL will see the return of Irishbatt or whether a new strategic partner will be forthcoming. However, what is certain is that the high standards of peacekeeping set in the early days of Ireland's involvement with UNIFIL, and continued today through 111th Inf Bn, will be upheld into the future. An abandoned Israeli tank at the 'Cuckoos Nest' in South Lebanon. Photo: An Cosantóir Archives Members of 217 IrishFinnbatt conducting RTA training in UNP 2-45. Photo: Military Officer Tiia Turunen, Finnish Defence Forces

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