Property owners and occupiers are being invited to place a light in a window on Sunday, and council-owned buildings across the State will light up between 7 and 8pm, as part of World Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims.
In Dublin, the Road Safety Authority will hold a mass at 11.30am on Sunday at St Francis of Assisi Church, in Coolock, and members of the public are invited to bring a photograph of their loved one to place under the Jesse Tree on the Altar, where a candle-lighting service will take place.
Dublin City Council will also be taking part by lighting up the Civic Offices in memory of those who have died or been injured on the State’s roads.
As of November 15th, 24,663 people have been killed and 84,977 seriously injured on Irish roads since recording began in the 1960s.
World Remembrance Day also recognises the work of emergency services, who are often the first to respond to these accidents and have first-hand experience of the resulting devastation.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Allison Gilliland encouraged people to support the World Day of Remembrance “for those who have lost their lives or have suffered as a result of a road traffic collision during the past year”.
“The consequences that families have to live with as a result of these incidents are ongoing and can be life-changing. I encourage people to support this initiative by placing a light in their window on the evening of November 21st in remembrance of those who have been victims of road traffic accidents.”
Also on Sunday the Irish Road Victims Association (IRVA) will hold a virtual event at 3pm of the organisation’s Facebook page.
In Cork a memorial mass will take place in the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne, Roman Street (Shandon), Cork City at 11.30am. It will be attended by personnel from the emergency services. All are welcome.
In Kerry a remembrance service will take place in St Mary’s Cathedral, New Street, Killarney at 12pm.
In Louth remembrance service will take place in the Augustinian Church, Drogheda at 1.15pm
In Leitrim lights in the Áras An Chontae Building in Carrick-on-Shannon will be switched on between 7pm and 8pm.
In Limerick a remembrance Mass will be held in Remembrance of loved ones in St Munchin’s Church, Clancy Strand, Limerick at 11.30am. Families are invited to bring along a photograph of their loved one on the day, which will be placed around the altar.
In Kildare, the county council is inviting businesses and householders to “Shine a Light” between 7 and 8pm on Sunday. In addition an amber or white light will shine on public buildings such as council offices and town halls . Emergency vehicles will be parked on the apron outside their stations and will activate the vehicles “blue lights” for a short period, with a periodical one-vehicle siren yelp, before falling silent.
In Offaly Council buildings will also be lit up.
In Longford council buildings and fire stations will be lit up from 7-8 pm .
The World Day of Remembrance was founded by RoadPeace in 1993, is promoted by the European Federation of Road Traffic Victims (FEVR), and was adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 2005.
It takes place on the third Sunday in November every year to remember the millions of people killed and injured on the world’s roads, and their families and friends.
