The funeral of Private Seán Rooney - the Irish soldier killed in Lebanon a week ago - is taking place this morning.
He was killed after the convoy he was travelling with came under fire on its way to Beirut.
His funeral mass got underway at 9am in the Church of The Holy Family in Dundalk, Co Louth.
It will be followed by a burial service at All Saints Church in Colehill, Co Donegal this afternoon.
Mourners line the streets ahead of peacekeeper Private Seán Rooney’s funeral mass in Dundalk. https://t.co/DyZJLFzZZl pic.twitter.com/VGtRJB7etu
— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) December 22, 2022
The 23-year-old has been given full military honours, which includes an escort of 30 people and a firing party.
Members of his home unit - the 27th Infantry Battalion - were involved in the honours.
Private Rooney joined the Defence Forces in March 2019. He previously served overseas with the 119 Infantry Battalion UNIFIL.
He was a native of Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal.
Former Army Ranger Cathal Berry told Newstalk what full military honours means.
"It's the military equivalent of a State funeral," he said.
"Obviously there'll be the Tricolour - the national colours - on the coffin.
Pte Seán Rooney’s coffin arrives for his funeral mass in Dundalk, 21-12-2022. Image: Mairéad Cleary/Newstalk"There'll be pallbearers from his home unit, there will most likely be a volley of shots then over the graveside if the family agree to it - which I understand they have.
"So it's a huge honour for any country to bestow that on an individual.
The remains of Private Seán Rooney are carried off the plane at Casement Aerodrome in Dublin, 19-12-2022. Image: Tom Douglas/Newstalk"Hopefully it'll go some way to assuage the terrible loss for the family concerned.
"Most people in the public would have seen the photograph of Private Rooney in his blue beret, and you know by the cut of him - by his posture - that he was just built to join the Army.
"I'm just conscious of how inadequate any words of mine will be for the family.
"Hopefully, in a number of years' time perhaps, they might derive some comfort from the fact that he passed away doing the job he loved," he added.
