100 members of the Defence Forces are returning home from a sixth month deployment to the Golan Heights.
Family and friends gathered at Casement Aerodrome at Baldonnel in Dublin to greet them as they arrived home this afternoon.
“I am waiting on Dylan Farrell from the Curragh,” said one of the many excited parents waiting for the troops to arrive home.
“He is gone six months – and I am his mammy.
“He will probably push me away [when he arrives]. I will squeeze him; I'll start bawling.”
The excitement of Daddy coming home after 6 months in the Golan Heights proved too much for this little boy who broke down crying pic.twitter.com/oKCiw0wxMW
— Stephanie Grogan (@StephGrogan3) October 5, 2017
It has been a nervous wait for many of the family and friends clutching flowers, banners and flags and waiting to welcome their loved ones home.
Marie-Clare McEvoy from Blanchardstown in Dublin was waiting for her fiancé Kevin Foley to touch down.
They are due to get married in four weeks.
“We are getting married on November 2nd in Kells,” she said. “I am excited but I can’t really think about it until he is here.”
Padraic Cuddy from Laois and his daughter are waiting for mammy to come home following a 6 month deployment to the Golan Heights pic.twitter.com/jXyLNKqdl6
— Stephanie Grogan (@StephGrogan3) October 5, 2017
It has been an anxious six months for their loved ones - and the past 24 hours have been particularly difficult.
The troops were due to touch down yesterday but a technical fault resulted in a delay.
Edel Ryan said she has been concerned for her husband Captain Gary Ryan:
“You do worry because the Syria trip – he did the Lebanon about five years ago – but this trip, Gary would be reporting to me and he would be saying they could hear kind of noise coming from the rooms so, as his wife, yes, I was always worried.
“But look, it is done now and we are very proud. Today has been a long time coming.”
Seven-year-old Molly meanwhile has her priorities straight when she sees Daddy get off the plane.
“I’m going to give him a big hug and a kiss,” she said.
