Over a thousand people gathered in front of Dáil Éireann for a vigil this evening in memory of Aidan Moffitt and Michael Snee, who were killed in Sligo earlier this week.
The vigil was organised by Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride, taking place as similar events were held across Ireland.
Several members of the Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) and QSoc were present.
Speaking to The University Times, TCDSU LGBT+ Rights Officer Jenny Maguire said the tragic nature of the events represent “the broader issue that homophobia and transphobia within Ireland are just not over”.
“It is everyone’s responsibility within Ireland to tackle transphobia, biphobia and homophobia,” she said. “It’s so amazing to see so many people here today.”
Also in attendance were several opposition politicians, including Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald.
Speaking to The University Times, McDonald said she found the vigil “very moving” adding that it was important to attend “as an ally and to show our support for the LGBTQ+ community everywhere across Ireland”.
“On one level,” she said, “it nearly feels like history repeating itself because these things have happened before”.
“There is a real courage in this crowd, a determination to face this down. This is every citizen’s business,” she added, “that every person is safe at work and play in their homes.”
Lord Mayor of Dublin Alison Gilliland told the crowd that “it is important that we are proactive, visible, strong allies and that we call out homophobic and transphobic language and behaviours”.
Despite the progress made in Ireland on LGBTQ+ rights, she said that “it breaks my heart that there is a very small minority of people who disrespect our diversity”.
Gilliland added that it was important to “overtly stand with” the LGBTQ+ community and to do so “within our families, within our workplaces, within our places of learning”.
Independent Councillor Alan Edge said that “it’s wonderful to see so many people here, coming together in sorrow but in power as well”.
Referencing the support received by the LGBTQ+ community from other groups, Edge noted the particular importance of recognising the impact of the events on LGBTQ+ Muslims.
A 22-year-old man, Yousef Palani, was charged with murdering the two men yesterday.
Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, the Chief Imam in the Islamic Centre Ireland, told the crowd that “we come here to attest to our togetherness and to tell the world that we will face down the cruel dehumanisation and otherisation of LGBTQ+ people, that we will defeat homophobia together”.
He said the centre has acknowledged that “homophobia is far too common among certain quarters of the Muslim communities”.
“We remain committed to tackling this and we’ll be looking further to developing a common strategy with our friends and allies in the LGBTQ+ sector in the coming weeks and months.”
“In our hour of need, you stood with us,” he said. “We will always stand with you.”
Concluding his speech, Al-Qadri received warm applause, declaring that the “racist far right” would not be allowed to “use these events to divide us because we know they do not care for LGBTQ+ rights”.
The Dublin vigil was one of a number of such events taking place around the country this evening.
So many of our community and allies in Dublin stand up with the victims of homophobic and transphobic violence and offer their condolences to the family and friends of both Aidan Moffitt and Michael Snee pic.twitter.com/gW74oPfSkC
— Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride (@DublinPride) April 15, 2022
Aifric Ní Chríodáin, the executive director of LGBTQ+ youth charity ShoutOut, said that “together we can and we will help young people in our communities to understand and to embrace difference”.
“We will do this through conversation,” Ní Chríodáin said. “And we will do this with great courage.”
“We cannot do it alone. Schools and families must be prepared and will be facilitated and supported to have those conversations on a national level, at a local level, in all of these small towns and in all of our cities.”
“We also cannot abandon LGBTQ+ people any longer. We cannot continue to force them to hide and live in darkness. We know this is not safe for them.”
After a moment’s silence held in memory of the two men, Dublin lesbian and gay choir Gloria closed the vigil, leading the crowd in emotional renditions of “Over the Rainbow” and “May the Road Rise to Meet You”.
