Deaths Overseas

By PRO IUNVA This article recalls the death Cpl Luke Malachy Kelly (39) in a road traffic accident near Leopoldville, capital of the Congo, on 30 Aug 1961 while he was serving at the headquarters of the United Nations Operation in the Congo (Opération des Nations Unies au Congo) [ONUC]. Cpl Kelly along with Pte…

by PRO IUNVA In this article we remember Cpl George Bolger who died in a Haifa hospital on 29 Aug1987. On Saturday, 29 Aug 1987, Cpl George William (Billy) Bolger (34), B Coy, 61 Inf Bn UNIFIL, died at Ram Bam Hospital in Haifa, Israel around 0230 hours from a suspected heart attack. He had…

ByPRO IUNVA Pte Finbarr Gerard Moon (18) B Coy, 43 Inf Bn was killed in a road traffic accident on 25 Aug 1978 while he was serving with the first DF unit to serve with UNIFIL, 43 Inf Bn. He was Ireland’s first fatality in Lebanon. He was fatally injured close to the village of…

by PRO IUNVA In this article we remember the murder of Lt Aengus Murphy by armed elements in Aug 1986 in Lebanon.  He was the twentieth member of the DF to die while on service with UNIFIL and the 127th member of the force to die.  In 1986 Amal, (the Arabic acronym for Lebanese Resistance…

At 2020 hours on Sunday 21 Aug 1988 Pte Patrick Wright (26), A Coy 63 Inf Bn UNIFIL suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach when one round was accidently discharged from a FN 7.62 mm rifle at Haddatha village.   He was evacuated to the Regimental Aid Post at Tibnine but he was dead…

By PRO IUNVA In this article we remember the death of Sgt John Lynch, 36 Ircomp UNIFIL HQ, who was killed when an Italair Agusta-Bell 205 helicopter (UN 281) crashed on the night of Wednesday 6 Aug 1997 in South Lebanon.  Four Italian personnel also perished in the crash.  Sgt Lynch was on his fourth…

by PRO IUNVA This article recalls the untimely death from natural causes of Lieut Col Paul R, Delaney who died in Jul 2007.  He was born into a family with a strong tradition of service in the DF.  His father was the late COS, Maj Gen Patrick Joseph Delaney; Gen Delaney commanded 38 Inf Bn…

by PRO IUNVA Comdt John Patrick (Shane) McMahon (Retd), was born in Dublin in Nov 1953. He joined the DF as a Cadet with 47 Cdt Class on 6 Apr 1972; he had been a student at UCD in first year arts when he was awarded a cadetship. On commissioning in Sep 1973, he was…

By PRO IUNVA Trooper Paul Fogarty was born in the Families’ Hospital, part of the General Military Hospital in the Curragh Training Camp in 1963. His mother was Ella Fogarty, née Hogan from Feakle Co Clare and his father, John Fogarty, was BQMS at the AAS in Naas. He was the second youngest of seven…

By PRO IUNVA This article is on the death in Jul 1965 of Cpl William Hetherington, HQ Coy, 4 Inf Bn UNFICYP following injuries suffered in a road traffic accident.William (Billy) Hetherington was born in Co Tipperary on 16 Jun 1937. Days after his 17th birthday, he enlisted in the army on 29 Jun 1954…