Months of calm, moments of terror as a UN peacekeeper in Lebanon

John Forde, right, pictured while on duty with the UN. Irish Defence Forces / Nick Donaldson

The International Day of UN Peacekeepers honours the more than one million women and men who have served the cause of peace on the frontlines of conflict; it also commemorates the more than 4,000 who have lost their lives in the line of that duty. As the world recently marked the day’s 75th anniversary, the words of the late Dag Hammarskjold, former UN secretary general, echoed in my mind: "Peacekeeping is not a soldier's job, but only a soldier can do it." This paradoxical statement captures the essence of my service as a peacekeeper.

UN peacekeeping is part of a global commitment to international peace and security, and for more than 65 years, Ireland has been a proud contributor to this cause. Our participation in peacekeeping missions dates back to 1958 and since then not a single day has passed without the presence of an Irish soldier on peacekeeping duty somewhere in the world. Indeed, Ireland has the longest unbroken record of overseas service with the UN of any country in the world – a record that we are immensely proud of. From Europe to South America, Asia to Africa, and the Middle East, more than 70,000 Irish soldiers have donned the UN’s blue beret, serving in the name of peace.

Our contribution as a small island nation exemplifies the power of collective action. Ireland’s proud tradition of participation in peacekeeping and crisis-management operations bolsters our credibility within international institutions, allowing us to promote our values of justice and tolerance. It demonstrates that peacekeeping is not just a task for the largest nations – small countries like ours can, and do, make significant impacts in global conflict zones.

For peacekeepers, effectively deploying in sensitive post-conflict locations requires more than military competence. It also demands tact, cultural sensitivity and negotiation skills. Deployment in these locations is also completely reliant upon multilateral co-operation. Peacekeepers are not merely soldiers, sailors or aircrew; they are also diplomats, mediators and humanitarians, working tirelessly in unfamiliar environments to foster trust and understanding in communities often divided by history, politics and trauma. Seemingly benign environments can change very quickly: last year, 32 UN peacekeepers were killed, one of whom was 23-year-old Irish soldier Private Seán Rooney. Private Rooney was killed when his patrol was attacked on a routine journey to Rafic Hariri International Airport in Lebanon, a well-worn path for myself and generations of Irish soldiers.

For Irish peacekeepers, service in South Lebanon, a region marked by conflict and religious, cultural and geopolitical complexity, is a rite of passage. For many, it is here that they complete their first tour and earn their first medal. Honing their military skills while drawing on the natural Irish capacity for empathy, adaptability and resilience over the course of a six-month deployment. I was one such peacekeeper, entrusted on my first tour with commanding 27 soldiers and four 18.5-tonne Mowag Piranha Close Reconnaissance Vehicles on an isolated UN post located on the 'Blue Line' – not an international border, just the line of withdrawal by Israeli forces from Lebanon – that now acts as a reference point for strategic mediation.

In the days prior to our deployment, I have one stand-out memory. There was a meeting with my troops in Galway, Ireland's vibrant west coast city, where we conducted our pre-deployment training. Sergeant Derek "Rooster" Rooney, a seasoned veteran, instilled in us the stark reality of our forthcoming mission with his words "months of calm, moments of terror". His account of the dangers lurking within routine operations and seemingly ordinary situations, drawn from his vast personal experience as a peacekeeper, anchored our training with a sense of gravity and purpose. As a young Troop Commander, I was eager, yet inexperienced. But Rooster, with his years of service, was the perfect foil. His pragmatism, laced with razor-sharp wit and a resolute 'can-do' attitude, created a balance that guided our deployment. With his warning as our mantra, we set off.

In Lebanon, like far too many places across the globe, peace is fragile. There is a constant threat, not just from political or military actions, but from everyday occurrences. The Blue Line is often crossed unintentionally by villagers and their livestock, creating potential flashpoints. Conflict can re-emerge when an innocuous action is misconstrued for something more sinister. On occasion, it is something sinister.

On January 28, 2015, after 10 days of high tension, Spanish peacekeeper Lance Corporal Francisco Toledo was killed in an Israeli rocket strike. It felt as though we were on the precipice of a major escalation, the type of escalation that could easily spiral out of control. Thankfully that escalation never arrived. Level heads and a commitment to stability on both sides managed to reduce tensions.

Lance Corporal Toledo’s death in the service of peace on a UN post just like ours resonated deeply – it still does. A fellow peacekeeper trying to make a difference somewhere far from home. Willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice but never expecting to. I felt a similar bond with Irish peacekeeper Seán Rooney who was killed in Lebanon last year. Although I didn't know him, it felt like I did. We both have close connections to 2 Cavalry Squadron and 27 Infantry Battalion. I know some of his family. I have driven the road where he and his comrades were attacked many times on similar patrols.

That he was killed doing something so familiar was particularly harrowing – moments of terror amid the most mundane of tasks. It became clear very quickly that Private Rooney was the manifestation of a peacekeeper in the finest of our traditions: selfless, loyal and courageous to the end. His death was felt profoundly by the Irish military community, a small, tight-knit group that was left devastated, and the Irish people as a whole.

Dag Hammarskjold also stated, "the United Nations was not created in order to bring us to heaven, but in order to save us from hell". Since 2006, Lebanon has been free from war, with an entire generation growing up there in relative peace. Despite some valid criticism of UN peacekeeping, it is essential to acknowledge the substantial contributions and sacrifices made by those deployed on peacekeeping missions. Though difficult to quantify, the impact of peacekeepers is undeniable when contrasted with the conflict that preceded their deployment. Their presence alone helps deter the resurgence of hostilities. I am eternally grateful to the peacekeepers past and present for placing themselves in harm’s way, in the name of peace.