7 September 2002:

Lord Mayor of Dublin opens Memorial Garden in Glasnevin Cemetery for the victims of the Dublin & Monaghan Bombings and previous Dublin Bombings.

Saturday, 7 September 2002 at 1.30pm

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Dermot Lacey, will attend an interdenominational ceremony of blessing and dedication in Glasnevin Cemetery to mark the opening of a Memorial Garden for victims of the Dublin & Monaghan Bombings of 17 May 1974 and of the earlier bombings in Dublin on 1 December 1972 and 20 January 1973. Dublin City Council has funded the Memorial Garden which was designed and landscaped by the Cemetery Board.

Relatives of the deceased will gather at the Memorial Garden for the service led by Fr Tom Kennedy and Rev Terence McCaughey to mark the event. Justice for the Forgotten welcomes the symbolic acknowledgement by the City of the terrible events and the loss of life that ensued.

Phil Lawlor Watson, Vice-Chairperson of Justice for the Forgotten, speaking on behalf of the relatives, said:

“By being here, amongst the graves of those such as Parnell and others whose entire lives were dedicated to their fellow citizens, we find the strength to renew our own personal commitment to search for the truth of what occurred in Dublin & Monaghan on 17 May 1974 and in the previous Dublin bombings of 1 December 1972 and 20 January 1973.

This beautiful garden in this very special place is a timely recognition by our City of the tragic events of many years ago, the suffering of which still lingers on. We pray that in the coming years those who pass this place will stop awhile and reflect on the terrible horror and pain of violence, on the wanton taking of the lives of the men, women and children we loved and whose love for us we sorely miss.”

Contacts:

Justice for the Forgotten office: 01- 8554300

Phil Lawlor-Watson: 01- 8436422

Margaret Urwin: 087 2237338

Greg O’Neill: 087 2393175