By Dionne Meehan
ONE YEAR on from Private Seán Rooney’s death, family, friends and comrades lined his graveside for a wreath laying ceremony at the Church of All Saints, Newtowncunningham on Sunday.
Private Rooney was killed in Lebanon in December last year.
The 24-year-old from Newtowncunningham was killed as he drove an armoured jeep away from a crowd of attackers in the south of the country.
At the ceremony, members of the Irish United Nations Veterans Association formed as the Chairman, Jim O’Hagan, welcomed Seán’s family to the commemoration.
“We are gathered here today, with family and comrades, to honour the memory of Seán.
“It is almost one year since we lost him,” he said.
Addressing Seán’s family, Jim reassured them that he will never be forgotten.
“We like to let the families know that they are not forgotten and that they won’t be forgotten,” he said.
Eight wreaths were then placed on Seán’s grave before the ‘Soldier’s Prayer’ was read aloud.
A presentation was then made to Seán’s mother Natasha McCloskey and his fiancée Holly McConnellogue, who he was due to marry in August this year.
The ceremony came to a close with Amhrán na bhFiann being played on the Bagpipes.
Born in Dundalk, the 24-year-old spent much of his later life in Newtowncunningham.
He was laid to rest with full military honours at the adjoining cemetery of the Church of All Saints in Newtowncunningham last December.
Meanwhile, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin has said he was “not at all happy” with the recent release on bail of a suspect accused of killing the Donegal/Dundalk soldier.
The case against this suspect and the other defendants is due to resume in Beirut on December 15.
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