Around 200 French and Irish people gathered for a vigil outside the French embassy in Merrion Square at 7pm on Saturday in memory of the victims of the attack in Nice on Bastille Day.
James and Linda Browne from Raheny in Dublin had been among those attending a fireworks display at the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, when Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel drove a truck through the crowds killing 84 people and leaving more than 200 injured.
Still visibly shaken from the ordeal they described the scene. “It was like something out of a movie, you couldn’t think it was real. The truck flew by and then quickly after that we started to run back in the direction of our apartment, there were people on the path and you just new they were dead, they were so still,” Ms Browne said.
Mr Browne described how people climbed onto roofs of houses in their panic to escape. “It was horrific, families with buggies not knowing what to do. I thought at first maybe the driver has had a heart attack, but then we heard the shots and realised it wasn’t that. I’d like to commend the police, if they hadn’t stopped him there would have been more fatalities,” he said.
French consul Pauline Tanchoux- Janin thanked the Irish people for their messages of support before leading a minute’s silence. Afterwards she spoke of her own devastation at the events of last Thursday.
“A week ago we were all so happy that things had gone so well during the Euros and we thought we had turned the corner into a new phase. The shock of what has happened in Nice, it is hard to comprehend.”
Claire Behar, originally from Paris but living in Dublin had three relatives who had been at the fireworks, but had escaped injury.
“When you are not living in your own country you feel the need to be surrounded by other ex-pats when something so terrible like this happens. My cousin is still receiving psychological support because she just avoided the tuck. I come here to feel a sense of solidarity.”
Vigils also took place in Galway and Limerick on Saturday in memory of the victims of the latest terrorist attack on French soil.
A march “Prom to Prom” was held in Galway at midday. While in Limerick the vigil was held in front of the Alliance Française on Pery Square at 11am.
A book of condolence for the victims of the attack will be opened on Monday at the Mansion House in Dublin.
The book will be open from 10am-4pm on Monday and Tuesday to allow Dubliners express their sympathies and support to the families and friends of those who died.
President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina will be the first to sign the book on Monday morning.
A Book of Condolence will be opened at Belfast City Hall on Monday morning. The city hall will be illuminated in the colours of the French flag as a mark of solidarity with the French people.
Clare County Council has also opened a book of condolence at Áras Contae an Chláir in Ennis in memory of the victims.
The Embassy of France in Ireland has also opened an online book of condolences at ambafrance-ie.org.
