Several hundred people gathered on Galway’s Ladies Beach on Monday night to remember the many thousands who have lost their lives over the past year in the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.
The candle-lit gathering extended right across the Salthill beach, with many nationalities represented and families with young children participating.
The candle-lit event was organised by the Galway branch of Irish Healthcare Workers for Palestine, with contributions from Apartheid-Free Arts, Galway Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the Galway Anti-War Alliance.
A minute’s silence was held against the sound of the Atlantic for all the victims of the conflict, the many injured and the thousands of bereaved families.
Music was by Katie O'Connor and Ammar Abu Ashour, and speakers included Palestinian and Lebanese representatives who gave personal accounts of the devastating impact on those surviving on similar beaches with no water, food, shelter or electricity.
Speakers included Emma Daly, Ehab Abu Marar, Ríonach Ní Néill, Lorraine Grimes and Ciaran Tierney of the Galway Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
The event was one of many held worldwide on the first anniversary of the October 7th Israel-Hamas war which has claimed over 41,000 lives in Gaza and 1200 lives in Israel, while the conflict has also spread to Lebanon.
Of some 250 Israeli hostages taken by Hamas on October 7th in its violent attacks, 112 hostages have been released in prisoner swaps, 37 bodies of hostages have been recovered and 97 hostages are still believed to be in captivity.