The last Irish soldiers serving in Liberia will return home this week marking the end of Ireland's four-year presence in the war-torn African country.
The remaining 83 troops of the 96 Infantry Battalion under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Michael Kennedy will arrive at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel on Thursday.
The Defence Forces first deployed to the UN Liberia mission (UNMIL) in late 2003 to help bring stability to the small volatile country after years of civil war.
"Enormous progress in Liberia has been made with the stabilisation of the security situation, disarmament and demobilisation of combatants, democratic elections in October 2005 and a large increase in the long term peace building efforts by this multi-faceted crisis management operation," a Defence Forces spokesman said.
"Large challenges still remain for the rehabilitation of Liberia and the UN force continues to provide security."
Liberia is Africa's oldest republic, but it became better known in the 1990s for its long-running ruinous civil war and its role in a rebellion in neighbouring Sierra Leone.
The conflict left the country in economic ruin and overrun with weapons.
Since their deployment, Irish troops have served over 3,000 individual tours of duty in the western African state, with 40 special forces troops from the army ranger wing deployed over the last four years.
Partnering with Sweden, the Irish battalion combined to provide the bulk of the UN military presence by land, sea and air in the form of a Quick Reaction Force (QRF), which took part in long range patrols to potential trouble spots.
Mr Kofi Annan, then UN Secretary General, during a visit to Ireland in October 2004 said: "Ireland has been one of the few industrialised states to deploy formed units to sub-Saharan Africa, providing niche capabilities that really hold a peacekeeping operation together.
"We need these specialist units very, very badly."
One Irish soldier lost his life during deployment in the volatile region. Sergeant Derek Mooney was killed following a car accident on November 27, 2003.
The Irish troops handed over their role of QRF to Pakistani troops on May 9 last.
Currently Ireland has over 500 troops serving overseas in areas including western Sahara, Kosovo, Lebanon, and the Ivory Coast.