Tipperary donor families and transplant recipients attend annual remembrance ceremony

On Saturday, September 27, the Irish Kidney Association hosted its 40th Annual Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving, drawing a congregation of approximately 1,500 people from across Ireland and overseas to the Church of the Holy Child, Whitehall, Dublin. 

Tipperary donor families and transplant recipients also took part in the annual ceremony in Dublin. 

The unique and poignant event honoured deceased organ donors and their families, while celebrating the renewed lives of transplant recipients. Now in its 40th year, the Service has become a deeply meaningful annual gathering for donor families and organ transplant recipients, many of whom attend every year to reflect, remember, and give thanks.

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This inclusive ceremony brought together celebrants from various faith traditions and non-religious worldviews (listed further below), each united in their support for organ donation as the ultimate act of humanity. During the moving ceremony there were spontaneous rounds of applause at different times.

The President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, patron to the Irish Kidney Association, wrote a letter of support. This was read aloud at the Service by Colin White, husband of a dialysis patient and National Advocacy & Projects Manager for the Irish Kidney Association. In the President’s message he said, “On this 40th anniversary of the Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving, may I extend my support and thanksgiving for the great gift of organ donation, which has transformed and enriched so many lives, allowing new possibilities and new opportunities for recipients and their loved ones.”

The eminent retired transplant surgeon David Hickey, and former All Ireland winning Dublin footballer, who performed over 1,500 transplants during his distinguished career, spanning 1986 to 2015, and pioneered pancreas transplantation in Ireland, read a Reflection ‘Who is my Neighbour’ by Brian Patrick. He also spoke about how in a world of so much darkness the Service demonstrated how a bright light could reemerge.

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There were many Tipperary families who attended the ceremony in Dublin. Marita Mulhall from Emly, Tipperary recited the Second Reading at the ceremony. Marita’s husband Dermot’s organs were donated when he passed away from a brain haemorrhage in late 2013. Dermot’s sister Breda had received a kidney transplant from a deceased donor. This inspired the family to carry organ donor cards and subsequently led the Mulhall family to honour Dermot’s wishes when he passed away.

Also attending was father and daughter John Dunne and his daughter Mary from Roscrea, Co Tipperary. Their beloved Declan passed away in the summer of 2001 at the age of 25 after a road traffic accident. Declan held an organ donor card since he was 14 and his family honoured his wishes by donating his kidneys, liver and pancreas, changing the lives of four people. Twenty years later a close family relative, aged 23, received a double lung transplant.

Sheila Gregan from Nenagh who received a kidney transplant attended with her fellow Transplant Sport Ireland teammates.

Joan Gavan, a living kidney donor, from Donohill, was a member of the Liturgy Committee for the 40th Service also.

The Service was recorded by Kairos Communications for broadcast on RTÉ One, Radio 1 Extra and RTÉ Player on Sunday, 2nd November at 11am.

For more information visit www.ika.ie