While you’re tucking into your Christmas dinner, wine chilling in the fridge and a fire blazing in the sitting room, spare a thought for the troops of 54th Infantry Group from Dún Uí Mhaoilíosa in Renmore, who are currently on a peacekeeping mission on the Golan Heights.
The 130-strong Galway-led unit has been stationed at democracy’s outpost on the Israeli-Syrian border since September as part of a six-month UNDOF (United Nations Disengagement Observer Force) which continues until next April.
The unit will spend the festive season in Camp Ziouani – which is in close proximity to where the Christmas message actually began – on duty as part of the UNDOF Force Reserve Company.
The lead-up to the festive season will be busy for this unit. In a final ceremony in what has been a spectacular year for the Defence Forces, the troops of the 54th Infantry Group will be presented with their 1916 Commemorative Medal by the Defence Forces Assistant Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Peter O’Halloran, at a ceremony today (Thursday) in Camp Ziouani.
Christmas itself will begin with Midnight Mass celebrated on Christmas Eve by the unit Chaplain, Fr Paul Murphy in the Camp Chapel, which was built by Polish soldiers.
The programme for Christmas Day includes a fun run for charity early in the morning.
The Commanding Officer (and the first woman to lead an Irish UN Mission), Lieutenant Colonel Mary Carroll (Oranmore), and her Sergeant Major, Fintan Lambe, and the Chaplain, Fr Murphy will visit the troops on duty in UN Outpost 80 where she will present the soldiers on the Outpost with their 1916 Commemorative Medals in a short but meaningful ceremony.
Galway-based troops on this post for Christmas include Corporal Barry Kinneen from Loughrea and Private Kenneth McCormack from Claregalway.
Hurling All Star for 2016, Private Patrick ‘Bonnar’ Maher, who now lives in Galway, will also be with his Platoon on UN Post 80 for Christmas.
See full story and photos in this week’s Connacht Tribune.