By Michelle Crawley
FAMILIES and friends of victims of fatal road accidents gathered at the Bloomfield House Hotel last Sunday, 16 November, for a moving and poignant ceremony to mark World Remembrance Day.
As many as 350 people made their way to the special service hosted by the Irish Road Victims’ Association (IRVA), some of whom travelled a great distance from as far away as Cork and Waterford to be in attendance on the day to remember loved ones who lost their lives in road collisions or sustained life-altering injuries.
The ceremony, which took place in the hotel, included the recitation of poems and verse by Mai Gilsenan and John Smyth, as well as live musical performances by Joe Gavin on the pipes, Noel O’Farrell, Helen Hassett, John Maher, John Smyth, Síofra Smyth, Aaron Cahill, and Tally Flynn. Among those in attendance at the event were Rev. Alastair Graham, Fr. Robert McCabe, and Chief Superintendent Michael O’Sullivan who later collected an award on behalf of An Garda Síochána.
“MOVING & LOVELY
CEREMONY”
Commenting to Topic this week about the truly special event, Donna Price, founder of the Irish Road Victims’ Association, said; “We had a great attendance on Sunday. It was very special day. It was deeply moving and a lovely ceremony.” Donna, from Petitswood, Mullingar, set up the Irish Road Victims’ Association in 2012, after becoming aware of how little practical information and help is out there for victims and their families of fatal and serious road traffic collisions, when she herself was grieving for her son, Darren, who lost his life at just 18 years of age in a traffic collision on the N6 at Kilavalley, Tyrrellspass in March 2006.
RELEASE OF BALLOONS & DOVES
Once the ceremony concluded indoors, the crowd made its way to the Lough Ennell lakeshore to release balloons in memory of their loved ones who are no longer with us. “It was really special. Some people said that the balloons formed a heart shape as they floated up into the air which was really nice,” recalled Donna. In addition to balloons, 15 doves were released into the air, five of which were released by representatives of the emergency services. “The ceremony also gives us the opportunity to pay tribute to the emergency services and the work they do each day,” she added.
GLOBAL LIGHT OF HOPE AWARD
This year, for the first time, the IRVA presented members of the public with a ‘Global Light of Hope’ award. 15 awards were presented to members of the public for their contribution such as members of the emergency services who provide an invaluable service on a daily basis and offer families of road traffic victims help and support. “The awards are named after an initiative which sees people light a candle on World Remembrance Day and place that candle on their window from 6pm to 12 midnight as a sign of solidarity and remembrance of lost loved ones,” explained Donna.
