• Pte Seán Rooney body has been flown back to the Republic of Ireland.
• The Irish soldier died while working for the UN in Lebanon.
• His body will be looked at by a pathologist.

The body of an Irish soldier who died while working for the UN to keep peace has been flown from Lebanon to the Republic of Ireland.

On the way to Beirut on Wednesday night, Pte. Seán Rooney was in one of two armoured vehicles that came under fire.

At the airport in Beirut, the UN held a ceremony for the 24-year-old soldier before the Irish Air Corps flew his body to Ireland overnight.

The body of Pte. Rooney was taken to Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, where his family met it.

Brian Connolly, who was the Company Commander of the 121st Irish Battalion Recce Company, went with him back to Ireland.

At the airport, there was a prayer service.

RTÉ says that Pte. Rooney’s mother Natasha, his fiancee Holly McConnellogue, and his grandfather Eugene were all there when the plane landed.

Pte Rooney’s body will be looked at by a pathologist, and his funeral is likely to happen later this week.

Trooper Shane Kearney, who is 23 years old, was also seriously hurt in the attack on Wednesday.

On RTÉ’s “The Week in Politics” on Sunday, Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney said that the news about Trooper Kearney’s health was “more hopeful.”

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