Inspirational community effort in Donegal recognised in national Herstory illumination of landmarks

ChefAid in Donegal Town which delivered hundreds of meals a day to elderly and medically vulnerable who were cocooning is being included in Herstory celebrations.

A photograph of those involved in the project is being included in the spectacular Herstory Light Show by Dodeca today. It coincides with St Brigid’s Day and is intended to lift Ireland’s spirits and to celebrate the healing light of St Brigid and Imbolc.

The ChefAid Donegal team are delighted to be included among the Covid heroines and heroes. Their work inspired a ChefAid movement around the country, ensuring that people who could not leave their homes were given a hot meal daily.

A spokesperson said they were proud and humbled to be included in the amazing project Herstory, thanking the many volunteers who made #ChefAid the success it was. 

An Garda Siochana Donegal were also involved in ChefAid.

They paid tribute to the team saying: “Volunteers are what made Chef Aid a massive success. This tribute is to all those who were willing to give up their own time and efforts in order to help bring comfort to others during what was a very trying time. ChefAid Donegal Town commenced in March 2020 and such was its success it spread to many areas in the county.

“Chief Superintendent Terry McGinn and Sergeant Oliver Devaney assembled a distribution team within the ChefAid Donegal Town area in March 2020 and Gardaí were delighted to be in a position to assist the team of volunteers and members of their community in any way that they could.

“We, at An Garda Síochána are honoured to have been in a position to assist with this brilliant initiative and we applaud all those who were involved in any way and who gave of their time, donations, resources and skills so unselfishly at all of the Chef Aid pods right across Donegal. 

“Your kindness and generosity has made a massive difference in the lives of many people. Thank you.”

The light show will be projected on to St Brigid’s Cathedral in Kildare, Sean Ross Abbey in Roscrea, Athlone Castle and Belvedere House in Westmeath, and Birr Castle in Offaly.

Those being honoured in the light show are: mother and baby home victims, Covid heroines and heroes, Black Lives Matter, ‘Women who have arrived,’ and Brigids of the world.

Herstory founder Melanie Lynch said: “This year the Herstory Light Show journeys into the very heart of Ireland, to awaken the healing powers of Brigid and the compassion to process the wound of the mother and baby home scandal.

“Ireland is left disturbed and heartbroken by the cruel and inexcusable treatment of mothers and children. Their trauma is the nation’s trauma. As Nelson Mandela once said; ‘There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.’ 

“I am calling on our politicians and government to join us and support Ireland as she heals, rising to become one of the most compassionate, caring and inclusive countries in the world.”

Publication of the recent report into mother and baby homes has brought this dark side of our history to the fore. 

Ms Lynch said: “Throughout the curation process I felt strongly that we had to illuminate the survivors and victims not only on the mother and baby homes but also on castles, to give them royal treatment after the hell they have endured and the humanity they have been deprived of. 

“Mothers and children were shunned, rejected and made invisible. Herstory will continue to illuminate landmarks and spotlight their stories and portraits until justice is served. They will never be forgotten or ignored again.

“Today’s Ireland is different from the Ireland that allowed these human rights violations to happen. The Marriage Equality and Repeal the 8th referendums presented opportunities to revisit our dark histories and courageously heal our individual and collective traumas. 

“Together as a nation we processed through judgement, shame, guilt, fear and anger.  What emerged were extraordinary victories of compassion. The great irony is that compassion is the true Christianity. Now every citizen is called to stand with the survivors and their families, hold them in our hearts and ensure they get the justice they deserve.”