Troops from Kilkenny’s James Stephens barracks were training hard in the Glen of Imaal this week, ahead of next month’s deployment to Lebanon.
The 105th Battalion are currently undergoing the final phase of their intense preparation in the Wicklow Mountains. Some 440 members of the Defence Forces – over 100 of them from the Kilkenny barracks – will deploy as a peacekeeping force in Lebanon this November.
On November 8, Minister for Defence Alan Shatter will undertake a ministerial review of the battalion taking place at the Castle Park in Kilkenny. A Kilkenny man – Lieutenant Colonel Philip Brennan, who is in charge of the Lebanon mission – will lead the parade on the day. Members of the public are invited to attend the ceremony.
Speaking to the Kilkenny Advertiser, Lt Col Brennan said that the battalion was looking forward to the UNIFIL operation.
“Any soldier’s ultimate aim is to serve their country, to do some good and help people,” he said.
“But you do have to go overseas, people do have to leave their families. We have been preparing for it though.”
In the Glen of Imaal, the troops have been taking part in a ‘mission readiness’ exercise – the final part of training before embarking on a potentially dangerous mission. For most of them, it will be their first tour in the Lebanon.
The current mission is initially for 12 months, subject to renewal, and Ireland’s participation will not exceed a maximum of three to four years. The 105th battalion will take over duties from the 104th Battalion, who have been serving as part of the United Nations peacekeeping operation since earlier in the summer.
The deployment of troops from James Stephens Barracks comes at a time when the future of the installation is once again shrouded in uncertainty.
Local councillors and Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan have sought assurances from the Minister for Defence Alan Shatter in securing the barracks’ future.
Speaking in the Dail this week, Minister Shatter said that he would have to choose between closing buildings or laying off members of the Defence Forces. While no decisions have officially been made yet, a concrete decision on the barracks’ future is expected in the next few weeks, pending the government’s upcoming comprehensive review of expenditure.
