The funeral of Private Seán Rooney, the Irish peacekeeping soldier killed in Lebanon, was described as “the most difficult of days” for his family and friends.
A member of the Defence Forces, Pte Seán Rooney (24), from Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal, was killed when his convoy came under attack last week in Lebanon.
His body was repatriated to his family earlier this week, with his funeral mass taking place in Holy Family Church, Dundalk, Co Louth, on Thursday morning.
Speaking at the funeral, his mother Natasha said her son was a “national hero” and that she was proud of him.
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“I wanted to tell you all how wonderful and kind and loving Seán was … I couldn’t put it into words,” she said.
“Seán was placed in my arms when I was 16 years old, he gave me purpose … I wanted Seán to have a mother that he could be proud of,” she said.
“I could stand here all day and tell you all the different nice things Seán has done for people,” she said.
Standing with his father Paul, his mother said she wanted to promise her son that she would “stay strong” and take care of his younger sister Robyn.
“He is a national hero, I am proud of him … I am proud of the kind and loving person Seán was. I will love you forever son,” she said.
Fr Derek Ryan described Pte Rooney as a young man who “adored” his family and was “wise beyond his years”.
“It breaks the human heart when a loved one dies for the important work of serving their country peacebuilding, it breaks all our hearts”, the priest said.
Language was “insufficient” to describe the kind of grief his family was feeling at “the pain at losing Seán so suddenly and so tragically”, he said.
“When Seán was killed last week it really did pierce the heart of his family, this community and the town of Dundalk,” he said.
Following the Mass in Dundalk, Pte Rooney’s body is to be taken to All Saints Catholic Church in Colehill, Co Donegal, for a burial service with full military honours later in the afternoon.
His fiancee, Holly McConnellogue, who he was due to marry in August 2023, said Pte Rooney would have been a “fantastic” husband and father.
“Growing up I never understood why people called their partner their other half, Seán is not only my other half, he is my better half,” she said.
He had always encouraged her and “believed I could do anything”, she said in a statement read out by the priest at the funeral.
“He ensured to always tell me how proud he was of everything I achieved in life. I am heartbroken that our life together has been cut short,” she said.
Ms McConnellogue said she felt “extremely lucky” to have been able to spend “three wonderful years with him”.
President Michael D Higgins was at the funeral, and before the start of the service consoled Pte Rooney’s family and loved ones at the front of the church.
Politicians who attended the funeral included Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan and Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney, the outgoing minister for defence.
Others who attended included Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieut Gen Seán Clancy; Pte Rooney’s battalion commander, Lt Col Frank Coakley; Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, and Archbishop Eamon Martin.
Before his body left Beirut on a flight home, Pte Rooney was awarded a number of honours posthumously, including a peacekeeping medal from the UN and an appreciation medal from the Lebanese armed forces.
He was part of 121st Infantry Battalion, comprising 333 Irish troops, which was deployed in November to south Lebanon as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.
Earlier on Thursday, the cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, Cllr Conor Keelan, told of the sadness and shock experienced by the community in Dundalk at the death in Lebanon last week.
Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast en route to the funeral of Pte Rooney in the Church of the Holy Family, Cllr Keelan said everyone was devastated by what had happened and they had been very appreciative of the family who had opened their home for the wake.
“There were some laughs and some tears as we remembered Seán. The family is really proud of Seán and so are we as a community.”
Pte Rooney’s death had resonated with so many people in the area as many families had relatives who had also served in Lebanon because of Aiken Barracks, he said.
“They feel that could have been them, so there is a deep sense of shock. Many served in Lebanon and nothing happened.”
Seán had been a high achiever, said Cllr Keelan. He had joined the armed forces at 19, taken exams to progress his career and had been destined for great things.
Cllr Keelan said it was particularly poignant that the funeral service would take place in Church of the Holy Family where Pte Rooney’s grandfather Eugene worked as groundskeeper. “It is fitting that he is going there,” he said.
