Tragic soldier Pte Sean Rooney is to be buried in County Donegal this Thursday.
Pte Rooney’s funeral mass will take place at the Holy Family Church in Dundalk at 9am.
The remains will then be taken to All Saints Catholic Church in Colehill, Newtowncunningham for a burial service with full military honours.
The body of the Irish UN peacekeeper arrived at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel today after travelling from Beirut International Airport overnight on an Air Corps aircraft.
Private Rooney, 24, was shot and killed last week when the armoured vehicle he was travelling in was attacked in a coastal village in southern Lebanon.
Private Rooney was accompanied on the flight by a number of his colleagues from the 121 Infantry Battalion, including his company commander, Commandant Brian Connolly.
His coffin, draped in the Irish Tricolour, was taken from the Air Corp CASA aircraft and carried by his comrades from the 2nd Brigade military police company based at Cathal Brugha Barracks.
Private Rooney’s mother Natasha, his fiancée Holly McConnellogue and grandfather Eugene were among those present when the aircraft landed.
The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Micheál Martin and the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces Lieutenant General Sean Clancy were also in attendance this morning.
Pte Rooney’s remains were reunited with his family in Baldonnel where a short prayer service took place.
Shortly afterwards, the white coffin was driven away in a hearse accompanied by a Garda escort.
Books of Condolence have been opened at three locations in Co Donegal in memory of Pte Rooney.
Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Liam Blaney, said that the books are available for people to sign at County House in Lifford, and at the Public Services Centres in Letterkenny and Carndonagh.