Ministerial Review of Sarsfield Barracks in Limerick

Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney T.D., accompanied by the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Seán Clancy, reviewed the 119th Infantry Battalion, UNIFIL in Sarsfield Barracks, Limerick.

Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Fiacra Keyes, the 119th Infantry Battalion have been in training for the past two months and are scheduled to deploy to Lebanon in November with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

The 119th Infantry Battalion will deploy to the UNIFIL area of operations with 352 personnel (9 Maltese and 343 Irish). Drawn primarily from Sarsfield Barracks, Co Limerick, and Collins Barracks, Co Cork, the 119th Infantry Battalion will replace the 118th Infantry Battalion from Athlone who deployed to Lebanon last May.

The ceremonial occasion consisted of a parade, Ministerial Inspection and address in Sarsfield Barracks, where Covid-19 guidelines were stringently adhered to.

The troops will undergo a two-week period of isolation, in a Defence Forces installation, prior to departure and will repeat this isolation period on arrival in their area of operations.

Source: Óglaigh na hÉireann