The body of Seán Rooney is to be repatriated to Ireland from Lebanon on an Air Corps plane this afternoon.
In a statement, the Defence Forces said that there will be a solemn UN ceremony to honour Private Rooney in Beirut Airport before departure.
His remains will be brought to Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel and reunited with his family tomorrow morning.
The 24-year-old Irish soldier was trying to steer himself and his colleagues away from an armed ambush when he was fatally wounded.
A large contingent of Irish soldiers, part of the 121st UN battalion, are at the airport for the ceremony.
Private Rooney, from Newtowncunningham, was a specialist driver stationed in Dundalk. The Donegal soldier comes from a well-respected family with a long history of military service. His late father Cormac also served as a soldier in Dundalk and two of Private Rooney’s uncles and a great-uncle currently serve in Aiken Barracks.
Peacekeeper Rooney was driving a four-man crew in convoy to Beirut Airport on Wednesday night when their armoured car became separated and came under fire in the village of Al-Aqbiyah which is under the control of the militant group Hezbollah.
It’s reported that an armed mob surrounded the jeep and Private Rooney attempted to speed away. Their vehicle was hit by several bullets.
