1,500 Gather for Urgent Thanksgiving Tribute to Organ Donors

UPDATE: A remarkable gathering of 1,500 individuals took place on Saturday at the Church of the Holy Child in Whitehall, Dublin, as the Irish Kidney Association hosted its 40th Annual Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving. This poignant event honored the selfless acts of deceased organ donors and celebrated the renewed lives of those who received transplants.

The annual ceremony has become a significant occasion for donor families and transplant recipients, many of whom return each year to reflect, remember, and give thanks. The event, which underscores the urgency and importance of organ donation, united celebrants from diverse faiths and non-religious backgrounds, all supporting the noble cause of organ donation as a profound act of humanity.

During the moving ceremony, spontaneous applause echoed through the congregation as David Hickey, a retired transplant surgeon and celebrated All Ireland-winning Dublin footballer, read a heartfelt Reflection titled “Who is my Neighbour” by Brian Patrick. Hickey’s distinguished career, which included over 1,500 transplants from 1986 to 2015, notably advanced pancreas transplantation in Ireland.

Opening the service, Liz O’Sullivan, Chairperson of the Irish Kidney Association, welcomed attendees and introduced guest narrators Martina Goggin and Sallyanne Clarke, both bereaved mothers turned advocates for organ donation. Martina and her husband Denis donated the organs of their only child Éamonn in 2006, founding the Circle of Life National Organ Donor Commemorative Garden in Salthill. Similarly, Sallyanne honored her late son Andrew, who wished to be an organ donor before his untimely death in 2012.

The service featured symbolic processions of donor families and transplant recipients who brought gifts to the altar. The Whitehall Church Adult Choir, harpist and vocalist Marina Cassidy, and soloist Keith Matthews provided musical performances, enhancing the emotional atmosphere. A Service of Light included lighting remembrance candles, facilitated by members of Transplant Sport Ireland, symbolizing the enduring connection between donors and the lives they transformed.

Names of deceased organ donors were honored through entries in the Book of Remembrance, which families could view after the service. Attendees were encouraged to place handwritten remembrance cards bearing their loved ones’ names into baskets at the altar. These cards will contribute to the Circle of Life National Organ Donor Commemorative Garden, a poignant tribute established by the Goggin family.

Among the attendees were representatives from deceased organ donor families, including Garda Alan Murphy from Ennis in Clare, who led the opening procession in memory of his brother Garry, who passed away at just 19 in 2005.

This heartfelt gathering reminds us of the critical role organ donation plays in saving lives, highlighting the deep emotional bonds formed between donors and recipients. As the event marks its 40th anniversary, it serves both as a celebration of life and a solemn reminder of the families who have given the ultimate gift.

Stay tuned for more updates as the Irish Kidney Association continues its influential work in promoting organ donation across Ireland and beyond.