More than 200 Irish troops deployed to South Lebanon have returned home to their families in Ireland this morning, in time for Christmas.
The 122nd Infantry Battalion, the majority of whom are from the Sarsfield Barracks in Limerick, have been away for six months, during which fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah has intensified.
Lieutenant Commander Orlaith Gallagher was returning home to her son Finn Walsh aged 10, and her daughter Sadhbh aged nine.
Finn said he had missed his mum as his dad John was not as good at brushing and putting up his hair, whilst Sadhbh said she had found it difficult to sleep at times whilst her mum was away.
Lieutenant Commander Walsh said conditions in South Lebanon had been tense.
"We were in bunkers a good bit, but we were safe and that was the main thing. The kids knew that we were in bunkers, which I had to tell them about in case they saw it on the news."
She said the command efficiency had been amazing, and whilst the operational environment had been very tense, she hoped things would calm down within the next weeks or months.
"South Lebanon is an absolutely beautiful place. People are beautiful, really lovely people, and all I could wish for is peace there," she said.
In a recent statement the Head of Mission and Force Commander with UNIFIL, Lieutenant General Aroldo Lazaro said he was concerned by the ongoing intensification of the exchanges of fire along the Blue Line that he said had already claimed too many lives, caused significant damage and jeopardised livelihoods.
As peacekeepers he said UNIFIL called for the cycle of violence to stop, saying any further escalation could have devastating consequences.
The 122nd Infantry Battalion made up of 338 Irish personnel and nine soldiers from Malta have had to shelter in protected positions on several occasions since the conflict between Israel and Hamas commenced in October.
There are fears the border between Israel and south Lebanon could become a second front in this conflict.
Irish troops say they are committed to their peacekeeping duties in the area and that they will continue to monitor the situation and conduct planned framework operations as well as working to help protect the civilian population there.
Authority has now been transferred from Lieutenant Colonel Cathal Keohane, the commanding officer of the 122nd Infantry Battalion to Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Mac Eoin of the 123rd Infantry Battalion which recently completed its training in the Glen of Imaal in Co Wicklow.
334 Irish troops have now joined nine personnel from Malta there as the new deployment takes over.
Lieutenant Colonel Keohane was met at the airport by his four daughters who travelled from Rochestown in Cork to meet him following his seventh mission overseas. He said he was delighted to be back and this was a huge relief.
"We did say from the very beginning the chief metric was to get everybody sitting on the plane and it was a bit emotional when the plane did land. We're delighted, we're absolutely over the moon."
He said fighting along the Blue Line has now progressed deeper into Lebanon and a far more potent range of weapons were now being used which had a far greater potential for destruction. He said it remained to be seen whether the current ceasefire in Gaza would calm the situation down.
Commenting on today's homecoming and what it means to families, he said: "It has been a difficult 45, 46 days for everybody but particularly for the families. For us, we know what we're doing. We know the capabilities of the equipment and the bunkers and we know the strength of our team. For the families, they're not aware of that but they have been reassured all along."
