Silent vigil to mark Savita anniversary
A solemn and silent candlelight vigil to mark the first anniversary of the tragic death of Savita Halappanavar at University Hospital Galway will take place in the city centre on Monday evening.
The event to commemorate Savita’s death last year will take place at the Magdalen statue on Forster Street at 6pm.
Vigil organisers have said it will be a “non-political, low key event” which will show that the community in Galway remembers Savita and allow people to show support to her heart-broken family.
It is being organised by the group of people who came together to organise a solemn event at Eyre Square, attended by over 1,000 people, to honour the Indian woman’s memory after the story of her death broke in November of last year.
A lone Irish flute player performed a sad lament on that occasion, when hundreds congregated to pay tribute to the 31-year old woman at the Browne Doorway.
One of the organisers, Rachel Donnelly of Galway Pro-Choice, said there would be no speeches at the gathering and it was intended that it would be completely non-political.
"You are welcome to join us this Monday evening to remember the tragic death of Savita one year ago in this city. We are joining together with candles, flowers and a song to mark Savita's passing away and remember her wonderful life. You are welcome to bring your own candles, flowers or cards, which we can send to Savita's family for you,” she said.
“We really had no idea that so many would turn up last year. We had never seen anything like it in Galway. There won’t be any speeches, just a little music, as we are in the process of getting a singer. We don’t want to make a big thing of it.”
Savita died of septicaemia at UHG on October 28 of last year, a week after being admitted for back pain while she was 17 weeks pregnant with her first child. She died after being denied an abortion as she miscarried.
She had lived in Galway with her husband, Praveen, since 2008 and was a vibrant and enthusiastic member of Galway’s Indian community.
Her tragic death led to the Irish Government passing legislation to allow abortion in limited circumstances for the first time in July of this year.
For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.