After a six-month military tour in the Lebanon, 41 Carlow and Kilkenny soldiers are touching down in Dublin Airport at 2.45 this afternoon.
The local troops were on a peacekeeping mission as part of a 190-strong deployment with the 53rd Infantry Group.
Along with troops from Finland they were manning a post near the village of At Tiri just 7 km away from the blue line separating Lebanon and Israel.
Angela Hayes’ son, Robbie, was one of the Kilkenny soldiers out there.
She told KCLR News earlier that it has been a nervous few months for her but it was comforting knowing he was with friends.