Saturday September 5th, has been declared a Day of Action in solidarity with people seeking refuge in Europe.
The Irish Refugee Council and Migrant Rights Centre Ireland have called on people to gather at the Famine Memorial on Dublin's Custom House Quay at 1pm to show their solidarity with refugees.
In Cork city there will be a solidarity demonstration at 1pm in Daunt Square while in Belfast there will be a demonstration at 1pm outside the European Commission offices on the Dublin Road.
People are urged to gather at Famine memorials across the Ireland to demonstrate similar solidarity and volunteers people are being sought to organise such gatherings. Contact paddy@uplift.ie
The Donate to the Ireland Calais Refugee Solidarity campaign is collecting supplies to bring to migrants stranded in Calais and living in tents. People in Kildare are urged to get involved with the Syrian Support and Welcome group which will be supporting Syrian refugees housed at the Hazel Hotel.
A petition has been launched calling on the Irish government to take in more refugees. It is at uplift.ie/refugee-crisis/There is also a Pledge-a-Bed site- uplift.ie/pledge-bed/- where, as it suggests, people may offer a bed to someone seeking refuge as a way of showing solidarity.
Meanwhile in Dublin, Bohemians football club has painted a huge ‘Refugees Welcome’ at Dalymount Park.
Last Saturday, football fans in Germany raised welcome banners to refugees who are arriving in their country at stadiums across the country. Flags and posters were held up by people attending matches, many of which said: "Refugees Welcome".
On Twitter hope has been expressed that something similar might happen at the Mayo/Dublin All Ireland football semi-final in Croke Park tomorrow and at the All Ireland hurling final there between Galway and Kilkenny on Sunday.
At Electric Picnic in Stradbally Co Laois this weekened volunteers will gather supplies for refugees at Calais. On Monday morning, at the Global Green and info points in each campsite, volunteers will begin accepting donations of camping supplies for the refugees.
They will be there throughout the afternoon dismantling tents left behind to send to the refugees at Calais. People planning to donate are asked to collapse their tents before leaving.
On Saturday, September 12th, there will be a demonstration at 2pm near the Spire in Dublin’s O’Connell Street calling on the Government to take in more refugees.
