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LAST UPDATE | 5 Oct 2022
AN IRISHMAN has been killed while fighting in Ukraine, his family has confirmed.
Rory Mason, 23, died as a Ukrainian armed forces serviceman while fighting in the International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine near the Russian border.
The Mason family learnt of Rory’s death from the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is providing consular assistance.
His father Rob said: “Rory was a private young man of drive, purpose and conviction.
“Though we are deeply saddened at his death, we are enormously proud of his courage and determination and his selflessness in immediately enlisting to support Ukraine.
Rory was never political but he had a deep sense of right and wrong and an inability to turn the other way in the face of injustice.
“He had a long-standing interest in eastern Europe, in travel and in learning new languages, including Russian. Those who fought alongside Rory speak of ‘a truly brave and courageous man who could have left at any time but chose not to’.
“Rory was our son and we will miss him enormously. As our family is still trying to come to terms with Rory’s death, we would appeal for privacy at this difficult time”.
The Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement following the Irishman’s death in Ukraine.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs is aware of a case and is providing consular assistance,” a spokesman said.
“As with all consular cases, the department does not comment on the details of any individual case.”
Speaking to reporters this afternoon, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney expressed his “condolences sympathies” to the family.
“I spoke to Rory’s father this morning. The family have asked for privacy and I hope people will respect that,” Coveney said.
“This is a tragic loss of a son, an extraordinarily brave and principled young man, but nevertheless, this is a tragic death,” he said.
St Peter’s College in Dunboyne, of which Rory Mason was a past pupil, issued a statement today offering its condolences.
“St Peter’s College is shocked to hear the news of the untimely death of Rory Mason who we understand was fighting for the International Legion For The Defence Of Ukraine,” the school said.
“The entire St Peter’s College community, students, past pupils, teachers and the board of management offer their condolences and deepest sympathies to Rory’s family at this very difficult time.”
Foreign fighters
The International Legion For The Defence Of Ukraine said Rory Mason’s memory will live on.
“Our brother in arms, Rory Mason has taken part in the Kharkiv counteroffensive with his unit and was killed in action,” a spokesman said in a statement.
“While conducting operations, the unit came under attack.
We are in contact with the family and in co-ordination with them, following their wishes and instructions, the International Legion and the armed forces of Ukraine are handling the repatriation process.
“At this time, to protect operational security and the family’s privacy we cannot release more information Rory’s memory will live on in his unit, in the legion and the armed forces of Ukraine.”
“We would ask for the family’s privacy to be respected at this difficult time.”
A number of Irish citizens have travelled to Ukraine to take part in the fighting in the Foreign Legion.
Numbers vary but sources have said it could be in the region of 20 or so fighters – most of whom have military experience.
There are also a number of Irish citizens, mostly former members of the Irish Defence Forces, engaged in private security work in the area.
Pierre Zakrzewski, a Dublin native and cameraman for Fox News, was killed while covering fighting in Ukraine in April.
Another Irishman – former Defence Forces member Brian Meagher – was injured fighting with the Ukrainian forces last month.
Includes reporting by Press Association, Rónan Duffy, Niall O’Connor and Hayley Halpin
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Takes some courage to risk and subsequently lay down one’s life for the greater good. RIP chap.
May he Rest in Peace. A very brave young man who clearly put the side of righteousness before his own safety. We all should be proud of Rory’s selflessness and his fight against wrong doing. Condolences to his family and friends.
A real Irish hero and should be remembered as one. Standing up for the freedom of others in the face of true evil.
Rip
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam
A person of deep integrity clearly. RIP. Slava Ukraine.
Courage is a thing we all like to think we have but this young man picked up a weapon to defend strangers who could not defend themselves. A rare breed and a credit to his family.
I’m so sorry to hear this. R.I.P to this young man.
A brave young man who believed in right from wrong and was willing to pay the ultimate price. May he rest in peace..
Rest in peace.
Rest in Peace brave hero
Brave soldier…R.I.P
Rest in peace Rory, your family are justifiably very proud of you. May your sacrifice not be in vain
R.I.P young man, Condolences to your parents family and friends
Hero
Sad, R.I.P
Rip :(
A courageous man. More brave than I could ever be. May he RIP.
R. I. P. and deepest condolences to his family. So young and so brave.
Brave young man RIP
Rest In Peace young man
Condolence to all his family,
What a brave man he was,
May he rest in peace.
A real hero RiP
Condolences to the family
Glory to Ukraine.
Glory to the Heroes.
May he rest in peace.
“And from the plains of Royal Meath, strong men came hurrying through…for slavery fled, Oh our glorious dead, when they fell in the Foggy Dew”
My deepest sympathy to the family on the loss of you boy.
RIP Young Man.
R. I. P.
More brave than I could ever be, rest easy Rory.
A selfless act and a hero to so many, consoling to his family and friends. Hopefully Ukraine and Ireland can honour their heroes when all this madness is over.
RIP. Showed great bravery to fight the way he did.
Deepest condolences to his family. He brings hope, humanity and integrity to this world. Please set up a Gofundme page so we can assist with his repatriation. R.I.P. Hero
Such a waste. The likes of Tom Clonan and the propaganda style media are to blame for radicalising impressionable people like Rory. His blood is on their hands.
@Steveopines✌️☮️: “impressionable people line Rory”. Is that an assumption or did you actually know the young man?
@OConnelj: *like
@Steveopines✌️☮️:
Radicalised?
Think before you type.
@Davey Ohanlon: You seem angry. Did it take you long to think about how to put me in my place? You understand that not everyone has the same opinion, that’s what makes the world a wonderful place. When you meet someone with a different opinion maybe have some respect?
@Steveopines✌️☮️: so what is the answer to my question?
@Steveopines✌️☮️:
You’re free to have an opinion, but nobody has the obligation to respect you or your opinion.
If you’re so keen for peace, you can head off to Moscow yourself and try protesting there. Otherwise, you should stay quiet and show some respect to a brave man who gave his life defending Ukraine from a genocide.
@Donnie Brasco: Yes I am for peace. We’ve limited time on this planet and limited resources. Instead we’re blowing up the place. You are clearly not for peace then why don’t you go off fight the Russian boogeyman or are you a Fugazi
Rest in peace young man, and well done for courageously standing up for what’s right. Legend.
Threw his life away for something that had nothing to do with him.
@Ciaran McQuaid: if our grandparents generation had taken that attitude, we’d all be speaking German now assuming of course they deemed us fit to continue living.
@Paul Shepherd: Irish people were neutral during WW2. English people faught the Germans.
@Paul Shepherd: just to point out that the Russians were to be thanked for that, since they sacrificed 8. 6 million soldiers and possibly the same number of civilians to defeat the German army
@Paul Shepherd: Neutrality saved us from being bombed in WW2. Lesson that is forgotten. I miss a neutral Ireland. Martin and Varadkar had no right to declare that we were not neutral. Disaster for this country long term. Some seem to support it and want to join NATO. 10 Billion a year on weapons and the army? It cost 47m to give free schoolbooks to all primary school children. We have a hospital and housing crises. A billion a year to support a war against Russia…? A bit of cop on please.
@Steveopines✌️☮️: and they are running scared now.
@Celtic Eagle: actually thousands of irish fought in both world wars in the British army
Another great Irishman killed in action fighting imperial pigs . RIP
Very sad but where was he going??
@Eugene Kelly: To Ukraine, to kill young poverty stricken young men that needed a job and joined the army.
@Jim Smith: who were murdering, looting and destroying their neighbour, who had done nothing to them.
Rest in Peace Rory
R.I.P.
What a Man of courage and conviction. R.I.P Rory condolences to his family and friends
Sad. He loss life….
Tragic loss of a young man and I sympathise with his family, but why was an untrained 23 year old fighting on any front line, crazy, combat is for trained soldiers I’m sorry but he had no business on the front
@Mark Dawson: untrained? Tell me more Mark about Rory’s experience and training as you obviously are in the know.
@OConnelj: irish times article I read that he had no training
@Mark Dawson: and his experience?
@Mark Dawson: link that
@OConnelj: https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2022/10/05/irish-man-rory-mason-killed-in-fighting-in-ukraine/
@Mark Dawson: “The three met at a training camp in Poland after signing up for the international legion, said the photographer, who added that they reportedly underwent six weeks of training before going to Ukraine.”
You obviously didn’t read the article. 6 weeks is ample time to train. I’ve done the training.
@OConnelj: 6 weeks of training, seriously, basic training is 6 months not 6 weeks that is not training by far
@OConnelj: you can’t learn section and platoon tactics, the numerous drills you need in contact , proper weapons experience care and handling etc, field craft training etc etc in 6 weeks end of
@Mark Dawson: i would argue that someone motivated and intelligent enough could get ample training in a couple of weeks.
@OConnelj: we will have to agree to disagree on this , I don’t believe that 6 weeks is near enough for front line combat
@Mark Dawson: I believe it is, especially if said soldier is a volunteer. I would rather a motivated soldier with purpose over, lets say, a Russian conscript who would rather be anywhere else.
@OConnelj: I do agree with you there , but 6 weeks motivated or not, every man has to know everyone job in a section including the section commanders job , there is alot of skills and drills to learn and 6 weeks can only be touching on everything and experience through consistent training is required .my opinion not disputing yours your entitled to it too
What a brave youngster, RIP young man, thoughts with his family and friends
All this sadness for someone who through the media influence lost his life in a senseless war. Fodder for a futile war, and people here want to send more sons to die needlessly, if you feel we as a country need to do this then please make sure that it’s your children first to sign up, because it’ll be a very cold day in hell before any child of mine would die for someone else’s ideaology.
@Darren Murphy: absolutely, if he or others want to help they can help with logistics or casualties from the rear away from the dangers of the front line, Ukraine should not be allowing untrained young foreign people to be given 6 weeks of training and then sent to the front In my opinion your only endangering experienced professional soldiers and the individual when surely they can be utilised in a non combatant role
And you honestly think by what you have posted above merits a state funeral. ?
I can remember when others from the South of this island went to help those in the North being called different names and were not nominated for a state funeral.
But I suppose every one looks at what is happening in different ways. Good luck with the state funeral.
@Johnny Mckee: Or maybe you should argue why not. You just don’t have to attend one if his family and Irish government agree that it’s the right thing to do.
@Johnny Mckee: Members of the IRA that bombed pubs of people having a pint don’t deserve a state funeral. People that go off to Ukraine to kill soldiers in Donbas don’t deserve one either. We are already spending over a billion a year to fight Russia. Leave me out this ‘whip around’.
@Sebastian Manka You don’t declare as an individual that a State funeral is warranted and then we need to argue why not. That’s insane.
@Jim Smith: it’s a discussion forum. In a country of free speech, unlike Russia.
@Sebastian Manka: True but saying that maybe someone ‘should’ argue ‘why not’ is different than inviting someone to argue why not. I appreciate that there isn’t an edit button on here to re-select words and free thought needs to roll off of the tongue (fingers?) sometimes even if it invites counterpoints. I can’t imagine that a lot people think that this guy wasn’t of ‘national significance’ and that we shouldn’t have a day of mourning for him.
@Jim Smith: ‘was of national significance’!!!!!! ‘Should’!!!!! dam spell correction…
@Sebastian Manka: he can’t have a state funeral it’s reserved for the president and taoiseach and former of both so its not going to happen
Absolute hero
@Gerard McAuliffe: Encourage your kids to be like him.
@Gerard McAuliffe: he was a foolish young man Gerard fighting for people he don’t know and killing people he don’t know, he never be a hero just maybe bloodthirsty young man.
I think Rory Mason deserves a state funeral if his family agrees.
Слава Україні! Героям слава!
@Sebastian Manka: Why ?
@Johnny Mckee: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_…?wprov=sfla1
@Johnny Mckee:
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
@Sebastian Manka: I have heard this quote before but are you saying that Russia is coming or would come for regular Irish people when we were a small neutral country? You are going against every expert here but share what you know. That sounds terrifying.
@Sebastian Manka: He can have it Ukraine poor impressionable young lad didn’t die for Ireland.you have Coveney & varadkar talking likes hawks sending more impressionable young lads
@Jim Smith: Ireland is an easy, unprotected target for Russia. They attacked and paralysed HSE only last year. They threatened Irish airspace and waters. But hey, let’s rest assured that we’re safe here and laugh at people who have cojones Big enough to go and fight with evil, whatever the price may be.
@Sebastian Manka: We could be a target for every large nation. Why would Russia attack us if we stayed neutral? Why would China attack us…. or India? Should we spend 10 Billion a year on war machines? Should we wear tinfoil hats? Why didn’t our government just keep our 100 years of neutrality intact. 47m a year for schoolbooks for children. 10 billion year to join NATO. We need houses, schools and hospitals. We don’t need bombs and an air force that can fight Russia at the drop of a hat. Insane.
A hero
Live by the sword
Yes I am for peace. We’ve limited time on this planet and limited resources. Instead we’re blowing up the place. You are clearly not for peace then why don’t you go off fight the Russian boogeyman or are you a Fugazi
@Steveopines✌️☮️: I reckon we are all for peace and 95% of the world population are the same but unfortunately the 5 % seem to have way too much power and are causing problems for us all
Rip young man , your parents can be proud of your courage and your role in stopping the Russian dictatorship. To his parents your son is a true Irish hero.
RIP Rory Mason, and condolences to his family, friends and fellow soldiers.
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