UMHL hosts Annual Remembrance Service for families who have experienced loss

• First ‘in person’ remembrance service to be hosted since 2019
• Service is for anyone bereaved through miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death

University Maternity Hospital Limerick will host its annual Remembrance Service in person this year at The Church of the Holy Rosary, Ennis Road, Limerick, on Sunday November 6th at 3pm.

The Remembrance Service aims to acknowledge and remember the pregnancies that were lost, and the babies who have died through miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death.

An annual event organised by the Bereavement and Support team at UMHL, this is the first year since 2019 that an ‘in person’ service has been organised. Due to social distancing restrictions during the pandemic, the previous three services have been virtual only.

Fr Des McAuliffe will lead the service, which can also be viewed live on Our Lady of the Rosary Parish Webcam (ourladyoftherosaryparishlimerick.ie)

And for those people who are unable to attend in person or view live online, the service will be recorded, and subsequently posted to the parish website.

Rita O’Brien, Clinical Midwife Specialist Bereavement and Loss, UMHL, said the service was as much for parents and families of babies who died many years ago, as for those more recently bereaved.

Speaking ahead of the ceremony, Rita said: “We’re delighted this year to be able to invite people back to attend this service in person. Infant loss and pregnancy loss can be a very lonely grief. This annual event provides a time and space when we can connect with one another as a community, and share our grief journeys.”

Following the ceremony, there will be a cup of tea and time for people to chat to each other.

For further information contact Rita O’Brien or Marie Hunt, Bereavement Support Department, UMHL on 061 483196