Book of condolence opened for victims of Manchester attack

Hundreds of people signed a book of condolence at the Mansion House in Dublin on Wednesday to pay respect to the victims of the terror attack in Manchester. Lord Mayor of Dublin Brendan Carr opened the book to the public at 10am on Wednesday morning.

“There’s a very long relationship between Manchester and Dublin, and in this dark hour it is vitally important to show them that we’re standing shoulder to shoulder beside them,” Mr Carr said.

“I was personally horrified, I have an eight-year-old child, so it hit me very personally,” Mr Carr said. “These terror attacks seem to be worse every time, and they’ve now gone to the lowest by going after young children.”

Minister for Housing Simon Coveney visited the Mansion House shortly after 10am to express his sympathies to the victims of the terror attack.

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President Michael D Higgins and his wife, Sabina, signed a separate book of condolence at the British Embassy in Dublin on Wednesday. Neil Holland, deputy head of the British Embassy, met Mr Higgins as he arrived. The President wrote: "In deepest sympathy and in solidarity with the people of Manchester and our good neighbours in the United Kingdom."

Family ties

Many of those signing the book of condolence at the Mansion House had links or family ties to Manchester. Eoin Ó Faogáin (26) from Dublin said he lived in Manchester for a year a number of years ago. “It’s hard to understand the rationale behind such violence, there is no rationale behind it. It’s so tragic,” he said.

Mr Ó Faogáin said he also had family and cousins, and many friends living in Manchester. “There is a resoluteness among the people to come together and support each other after this, and show strength and solidarity,” he said. “When I lived there it was the same as Dublin in many ways, people were so friendly, neighbours would pop in and offer help, they really made you feel at home in the city.”

Mark Johnson, from Costa Rica, was another who signed the book at the Mansion House. “It’s horrible what happened, we need to stand together against these kinds of things and let everybody know, even if we have differences we still stick together,” he said.

The book of condolence will be open again at the Mansion House from 10am to 4pm on Thursday.