Dundalk Rotary Club brought alive part of the true meaning of Christmas with the launch of the ‘Remembrance Tree’ at the revamped Market Square.
The spirit of remembrance is embodied in the tree as it provides people with an opportunity of treasuring the memories of special people in their lives by placing their own personal ribbon on the tree.
Already hundreds of townspeople have attached ribbons to the tree with their special messages to loved ones, with many more expected.
Rotary put up the remembrance tree for the first time last year, and 5,000 ribbons were attached, a total they are hoping to better this time.
‘We have been getting a good response so far. It is a great source of comfort to people, giving them the chance to remember deceased family and relatives at this time of the year,’ said a spokesperson for Rotary.
Dundalk Rotary President Criona O’reilly and Town Council Chairperson Marianne Butler attended the opening ceremony, which was enhanced with the singing of Christmas carols by the Setanta Choir and the St. Patrick’s Scout Group choir, while Fr. O’hagan, St. Patrick’s, Fr Nash, Redeemer Parish and Rev Sanda Pragnell, Church of Ireland, dedicated the tree.
While there is no fixed charge for attaching ribbons, voluntary contributions are welcome, with all funds going to this year’s designated charities – The Birches branch of Alzheimers Society; the Dundalk Society for the Old and Underprivileged and SOSAD, which raises awareness of suicide and suicide prevention.
The tree will be manned by Rotarians and friends from 11am to 5pm each day for a week, after which a short thanksgiving ceremony will be held and the remembrance ribbons will be removed to mark the closing of the event for this year.
– JIM SMYTH in The Argus