False We celebrate Their short lives with friends and Their families on a windy autumnal day in Galway City St Augustines Church in Galway City cradled our memories for an afternoon of prayer, music and symbolic reflections. Parents, families and friends came together to share in our Time to Remember Service. Fr. Nial Coughlan Curit, St. Augustines and Fr. David Cribben, Chaplain, University Hospital read from Scripture and Peter Hanlon, Bereavement Therapist with the Health Service Executive spoke about remembering, how and why we do and the importance of remembering. Parents and family members participated in readings and bringing gifts to the Altar in memory of their children. Majella and Ger Hegarty from Nenagh filled the church with their heavenly voices, singing beautiful renditions of hymn and song. Everyone was given the opportunity to light a candle and Their children’s short lives lit up the church. It was a lovely gathering of families and memories. Our thanks to everyone who participated and to Fr. Coughlan for making us feel so welcome. ISANDS will re- visit Galway and once again we will remember them with love. Rev. Father Nial Coughlan, Curit St. Augustines Jackie, Emma, Carol and Ben Gowing Carol- Anne, Ann & Deirdre Canning isands newsletter 31

False A Holy Night... when all was calm and peace had a presence. We each lit a candle, hundreds fl ickered... our thoughts and unspoken words fl oated as their tiny lives shone and stood tall at the foot of the Altar. Honouring this sacred moment the Gentlemen of the Garda Male Voice Choir sang Silent Night as the Church lights were lowered and the tiny candles danced along to the beautiful music. Good friends and our families joined us once again to celebrate our children’s short lives in prayer, refl ection, music and song in the magnifi cent surroundings of St. Nicholas of Myra Church, Francis Street, Dublin. Fr. Paul Kenny, Parish Priest of St. Nicholas of Myra Church, Fr. David, Brough, Parish Priest of Bohernabreena, Rev. Bruce Pierce, Church of Ireland Representative, Rev. Paul Steiner, Methodists Church Representative brought their unique understanding and shared their insight into our loss. Our guest speaker, Peter Hanlon, Bereavement Therapist, HSE spoke about how and why we need to remember THIS child at Christmas time. Our thanks to Fr. Kenny, Fr. Brough, Rev. Pierce, Rev. Steiner, Peter Hanlon and the Gentlemen of the Garda Male Voice Choir. Our thanks also to Boy Soprano Aiden Chisholm for his Heavenly singing and Noel Reid for signing at the Service. Our thanks to Steven Guy, National Chairperson, SANDS UK and June O’Toole, National Chairperson, Miscarriage Association of Ireland for taking part in our Remembering Service. A sincere thanks as always to Rita Kavanagh, Sacristan in St. Nicholas of Myra Church, for all her help and support each year. Our thanks to the Family Support Agency for funding towards the Christmas Service. Finally and more importantly, thank you to all the parents and families who participated and to all who attended. Hopefully we will all meet again this Christmas and remember Them with love all over again.