Iconic Tipperary monument is illuminated for European Carers Day

On Sunday last  iconic monuments and landmarks across the country were illuminated to mark European Carers
Day. This initiative aims to bring visibility to the vital but often overlooked role played by family
carers -people who provide unpaid and often round-the-clock care for loved ones, enabling them to
live with dignity in their homes and communities – and calls for urgent policy reforms to support
them.

To mark European Carers Day, organisations supporting family carers across Europe are calling on
policymakers and stakeholders to acknowledge family carers as equal partners in care, to invest in
better support systems, advocate for stronger carer rights and elevate carers’ voices in
policymaking.

While these illuminations are a visual tribute to family carers, they are also a call to action for
greater awareness and tangible support. Family carers often sacrifice their own needs - financial
security, career opportunities, and even their own health - to provide care for others. Family Carers
Ireland continues to advocate for increased supports, including better access to respite care,
financial assistance and services that support family carers’ health and wellbeing.

 Prominent landmarks across Ireland that were illuminated included the Rock of Cashel,
Iarnród Éireann’s Athlone Railway Bridge; Heuston Station; Irish Life’s Northumberland Square and
fountain; Bank of Ireland College Green; Áras Mhic Dhiarmada; Casino Marino; Collins Barracks; and
Dublin Castle’s Bedford Tower. Other OPW sites include the Department of Education; the
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Farmleigh Water Tower; the Four Courts;
Kilkenny Castle; the National Concert Hall; the National Library; Phoenix Park Roundabout; and the Wolfe Tone Monument in St. Stephen’s Green.

Catherine Cox, Head of Communications and Policy at Family Carers Ireland, emphasised the
importance of highlighting the contributions of family carers.

"Family carers provide essential carethat allows people to stay in their homes, but their efforts are often unseen and undervalued. By lighting up landmarks such as Kilkenny Castle, Heuston Station, the Four Courts, City Hall, and Rock
of Cashel, we want to send a clear message: we see you, and you are not alone. This is a moment to
recognise the incredible care that happens behind closed doors every day and to remind family
carers that no one should have to care alone,” she said.