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Irish citizens in Lebanon: ‘My only fear is that the airport shuts down’

Amid Israeli threats and Micheál Martin’s recommendation to leave, an Irish-Lebanese owner of a bar in Beirut says ‘we do not seem to pay much attention to the drums of war’

Roderick Sursock-Cochrane, the Irish-Lebanese owner of the Sursock Palace in Beirut. Photograph: The Candid Man
Roderick Sursock-Cochrane, the Irish-Lebanese owner of the Sursock Palace in Beirut. Photograph: The Candid Man
Hannah McCarthy
Tue Jul 30 2024 - 06:00

As Israel threatens to expand its military campaign in Lebanon following a deadly strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin urged Irish citizens in Lebanon to leave by commercial means amid a deteriorating security situation. Mr Martin said on X on Monday that: “Citizens should be aware that, if the security situation deteriorates, we may be limited in the assistance we can provide.” Micheál Martin

“A significant number of the Irish community in Beirut are aid workers and most of them have decided to stay,” says Enda Nevin, a project development manager based in Beirut with French NGO Acted. “Aid workers are here to respond in times of crisis and that’s not going to change,” said the Galway native. Aid organisations are, in general, giving individuals the opportunity to make decisions themselves about whether to stay or leave Lebanon as the threat of war increases, Mr Nevin said.

Enda Nevin from Galway is a project development manager based in Beirut with French NGO Acted
Enda Nevin from Galway is a project development manager based in Beirut with French NGO Acted

“Everyone’s just in a wait-and-see mode. Personally, it hasn’t crossed my mind to leave but that’s also because my family are okay with that decision. They trust me and understand the nuances of the situations that I work in ... I’m keeping in regular contact with them and making sure they know that I’m okay.

“Beirut is very much carrying on as normal: the cafes, the restaurants and the bars are open. The anxiety level is low among my friends that are here,” said Mr Nevin, who believes many people have become used to the threat of war since October 7th when a surprise attack by Hamas in southern Israel triggered Israel’s war on Gaza. Mr Nevin noted the threat of a wide war inside Lebanese territory will be much more worrying and concerning for the some 95,000 Lebanese who have already been displaced from their homes in southern Lebanon, where more than 300 Irish peacekeepers are based.

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Lucy Turner, a copy editor and travel consultant originally from Co Meath but now based in northern Lebanon, also says she hasn’t seen signs of mass panic yet – although some people were frustrated when several airlines cancelled their flights to Beirut on Monday.

“Clubs are full. Beaches are full ... Lebanese will party and live in denial,” Ms Turner said. “The south [of Lebanon] takes the wrath as usual.”

[ Irish citizens urged to leave Lebanon as tensions with Israel escalate after missile attack ]

Roderick Sursock Cochrane, the Irish-Lebanese owner of the Sursock Palace in Beirut, also told The Irish Times that life in Beirut was going on as normal: “We do not seem to pay much attention to the drums of war ... My only fear is that the airport shuts down. If that’s the case we’re stuck in or out. So unless this whole mess degenerates into a regional war we should be okay.”

Cyprus’s foreign minister, Constantinos Kombos, told Reuters that his country is on standby to assist in the evacuation of civilians from the Middle East if the conflict between Israeli forces and Hizbullah in Lebanon escalates. In the event of Beirut airport shutting down, several aid agencies in Lebanon have said they are planning to conduct evacuations by sea to Cyprus, while some are considering evacuating staff who can obtain Syrian visas through Damascus airport in Syria.