Two minutes' silence in solidarity with the victims of the London bombings was widely observed in Ireland. Hundreds of thousands of employees in the public and private sectors heeded the Government's call to take part.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Tánaiste Mary Harney, and Minister for Finance Brian Cowen stood for two minutes in the courtyard of Dublin Castle. They were joined by employers', union, farm and community group leaders, who had been attending social partnership talks.
Bus drivers were asked to pull over to roadsides "where possible", and inform passengers that silence would be observed. An Aer Rianta spokeswoman said Dublin airport "stood still". Stores and many shopping malls, including Limerick's Arthur's Quay and the Galway Shopping Centre observed the vigil.In Belfast, more than 500 stood outside City Hall for the two minutes' silence.
The Irish Sikh Council has requested a meeting with senior Gardaí in relation to racially motivated attacks which it claims are linked to the fallout from the London bombings. A spokesman for the council criticised Gardaí for what he said was inaction following the stabbing of a Sikh man in Athlone, Co Westmeath last week. It is thought the man, who lives in Dublin, received 12 stitches in his arm and that his attackers racially abused him during the incident.