Remembering those lost to Covid... ‘As a nation we came through this together’

A special Ceremony of Remembrance and Reflection in honour of those lives lost to Covid-19 and to acknowledge the contributions of frontline workers and the countless volunteers and support personnel and organisations was held at Buvinda House, Meath Co Council HQ, last Sunday.

The ceremony began with the raising of the flag and formal wreath laying by An Cathaoirleach Cllr Sean Drew, who was accompanied by the council chief executive, Jackie Maguire, and representatives of the frontline agencies during the pandemic (HSE, An Garda Siochana, Civil Defence, Meath Fire Service) as well as members of Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann.

The ceremony also included music by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Navan Youth and the Council Staff Choir.

Speeches took place in the Remembrance Garden with Des Foley, deputy chief executive acting as MC for the poignant event.

Cllr Sean Drew delivered the opening address before Dr Augustine Pereira, Director of Public Health – HSE North East asked those present to remember the 209 souls lost to Covid-19 and to pay tribute to the frontline medical workers who had accomplished so much under extremely difficult circumstances.

Cllr Sean Drew said communities had experience “great loss, loneliness and dashed hopes”. The pandemic, he said, had also made us aware of our vulnerability and how precious life is.

“It changed how we are and how we can be. We began to finish conversations not with ‘good luck’ or ‘take care’ but with a ‘stay safe’.

“We have a slightly expanded vocabulary now, but with that also comes a shared experience. An experience that I hope will not be forgotten and which will influence, in a positive way, how we live our future lives.

“As a nation we came through this together and we are thankful to be in the position that we are now. Others have not been so fortunate."

Cllr Drew took the opportunity to acknowledge the suffering being experienced by the Ukrainian people and said Meath County Council and the people of Meath stood in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and will continue to do so.

“As I speak, we are hosting a number of refugees in the county and the council will continue to support the national effort in dealing with the terrible human impacts of this unjustified war.

“I think that as we reflect as a nation today, we also keep in our thoughts the Ukrainian people and the hardship and loss of life that they are experiencing.”

There were reflections from poet Ms Ciara Ní É, Ms Ita Healy, Older Peoples’ Council, Trim author Paddy Smith reading extracts from his book 'Cocooner – A Lockdown Diary’; Ms Ingrid Reilly, Comhairle na N’Og before poet Tom French read an extract from his work 'To Distance'.

Closing remarks were delivered by Meath Co Council chief executive, Jackie Maguire, who praised the community wide effort to assist those who needed it most: “In developing a response, it wasn’t just about the delivery of services. It was something more fundamental, it was about catering for some basic human needs, including companionship, friendship and simple human interaction. It was about ensuring that people were able to remain connected to loved ones and their own communities and in time it focused on mental health, staying physically healthy and nurturing creativity.”

Ms Maguire added that all of us as individuals had changed and now was a time also to reflect on our experiences, how we lived and had to cope during the various lockdowns.

“But today we also remember and recognise with great appreciation all of those that played a part, and they played their part, in helping many others through what were very difficult times.

“These are the volunteers, the Civil Defence and GAA clubs, the critical care teams and health workers, those in the emergency services, such as the Garda Siochana and the Fire Service, those on other frontlines – the postmen and post women, our supermarket workers, our public transport drivers and supply-chain workers, my own staff here in the Council and the many others that did the things that nobody saw but were necessary and made a difference to peoples’ lives.”

A Cherry Blossom Tree was planted in the Remembrance Garden to remember all those who passed away during the two year pandemic.