Clare vigils to be held in honour of late Ashling

THERE will be a number of vigils held in county Clare today and tomorrow to honour the memory of the late Ashling Murphy.

The murder of the 23-year-old school teacher in Tullamore has shocked and angered the nation and thrown the focus once more on male violence towards women.

Clare Champion MD John Galvin said, “We are all horrified at what happened to Ashling Murphy and we need to do something as a community to show our abhorrence of violence in all its forms.”

In Ennis, on Saturday afternoon at 4pm there will be a walk/run at the Fair Green with candles to be lit at 5pm.

Also tomorrow, there will be a vigil in Newmarket-on-Fergus at 4pm in O’Regan Park. At the same time in Kilkee, there will be a vigil at the Band Stand.

At Kilkishen, there will be a candle bogwalk in honour of Ashling at 6pm Saturday from the School road side.

This afternoon there will be a vigil in The Square in Ennis at 4pm, organised by the Clare Women’s Network. There will also be a vigil at 4.30pm in the Gallows Hill Estate on the Kilrush Road.

In Mullagh, there will be a vigil at the track at 4pm. In Ennistymon, meanwhile, there is to be a socially distanced vigil held in the Square this evening at 5.30pm.

There will be a vigil in Shannon at the Town Park, meeting at 6.30pm. In Kilmaley at the National School running track, a vigil will be held at 7pm.

At Ruan GAA Club, there will be a walk and vigil organised by the local camogie club at 7pm, while in Clarecastle there is to be a vigil held at 7.30pm in the car park of the local church.

Meanwhile Mary Immaculate College has opened an online Book of Condolences in memory of Ashling who attended the Limerick teacher training college.

Staff and students are invited to pay tribute to Ashling and send words of sympathy and comfort to all who knew and loved her.

These messages will be posted on a dedicated webpage and will be sent to the Murphy family. This book of condolences will remain open until Sunday January 30.

A Table of Remembrance, in honour of Ashling, has been set up in the Main Reception of MIC and a book of condolences is also available there to sign. The MIC flag will remain flying at half mast until after her funeral.

MIC and MISU will host a vigil in Ashling’s honour later this month when students return for Spring Semester.