Ugandan Well Named in Honor of Fallen Irish Soldier Private Seán Rooney

Summary:

• The family of Private Seán Rooney, an Irish soldier killed on UN peacekeeping duty in Lebanon, is honored that a well in Uganda has been named after him. Provided by Wells of Life Ireland, the well serves 78 households in Namasujsu, a village that previously had to walk 33 kilometers for clean water.

The family of young Irish soldier Private Seán Rooney, who was killed while serving on peacekeeping duties with the United Nations in Lebanon, feels honored that a well in Uganda has been named after him.

The well, which serves over 78 households daily in the village of Namasujsu, was provided by Wells of Life Ireland, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supplying Ugandan communities with access to safe and clean water. Before this, villagers had been without a well since 2011, forcing them to walk 33 kilometers to get clean water.

A plaque beside the well commemorates Seán Rooney. A few months ago, Wells of Life Ireland’s Director of Operations, Aidan Jordan, wrote to Seán’s grandfather, Eugene Rooney Sr., seeking permission to dedicate the well to Seán. Recently, members of the Rooney family met with Aidan Jordan, who gave them an overview of the organization’s impactful work in Ugandan communities. He presented the family with a heartfelt video showing locals enjoying the well and a photo book with images of children playing in the water. One photo featured children holding a sign that read, “Thank you for Pvt Sean Rooney Well.” The video is attached below. “We as a family were moved by the great work this charity does and we were honored that the charity chose to dedicate the well to Seán,” said his aunt Lauren Ellis.

Other wells have been dedicated to notable individuals such as Michael D. Higgins, Mary McAleese, John Hulme, Vicky Phelan, and Ashling Murphy.