National Ceremonies of Remembrance and Reflection will take place across the country on the weekend of Friday, March 18th to Sunday, March 20th 2022. This will represent an opportunity for the nation to pause and reflect, take time to remember all those who have lost their lives during the pandemic, and pay tribute to everyone who has contributed to how we have faced and are facing the challenges together.
The five municipal Districts of Wicklow County Council will hold individual events as part of the National Ceremonies of Remembrance and Reflection for those who lost their lives COVID-19.
This will represent an opportunity for the nation to pause and reflect, take time to remember all those who have lost their lives during the pandemic and pay tribute to everyone who has contributed to how we have faced and are facing the challenges together.
Wicklow communities will be given the opportunity to enable individual and collective remembrance and commemoration of all those who died and who have been bereaved, whilst acknowledging the scale and impact of the end-of-life care that individuals gave to the dying and their families in each community during the Pandemic.
The sad statistics show that there were 6,569 deaths in Ireland as a result of COVID, with 186 of those relating to residents of County Wicklow (as of March 5th 2022).
The County Wicklow events include:
- Saturday, March 19th – Garden of Bray Library, Florence Road at 12 noon*
- Saturday, March 19th – Wicklow Library, The Mall, Wicklow Town at 2.30 pm
- Saturday, Mach 19th – Tinahely Market Square at 5.30 pm*
- Sunday, March 20th – Burnaby, Greystones at 12 noon*
- Sunday, March 20th – Arklow Library, (Main Street) at 3 pm
All are welcome, especially those who have lost family members and friends to the COVID pandemic.
Each event will be introduced by the Cathaoirleach of the particular Municipal District and will include a violinist and an orator reading poetry/prose. A wreath-laying ceremony will also feature.
The Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr Shay Cullen, said: “This will represent an opportunity for Wicklow and the nation to pause and reflect, take time to remember all those who have lost their lives during the pandemic, and pay tribute to everyone who has contributed to how we have faced and are facing the challenges together”.
*If there is inclement weather, the indoor venue of the relevant library or Tinahely Courthouse Arts Centre will be used
Bray Municipal District will host a Remembrance and Reflection ceremony on Saturday, March 19th. This will involve laying a wreath at the Dr Christopher Thompson Memorial outside the Heritage Centre on Saturday, March 19th at 11:30 am followed by a poetry and music recital at Eglington Road Library commencing at 12 noon.
The Cathaoirleach of Bray Municipal District, Cllr Aoife Flynn Kennedy, said “This will represent an opportunity for the nation to pause and reflect, take time to remember all those who have lost their lives during the pandemic, and pay tribute to everyone who has contributed to how we have faced and are facing the challenges together”.