Event tomorrow to pay tribute to 9/11 victims including firefighter with local links

An ecumenical service will take place at the Donadea 9/11 Memorial in Donadea Forest Park at 3pm on Saturday in memory of all those who died in the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington DC almost exactly 20 years ago.

The memorial includes each name of the 343 New York firefighters, 23 NYPD police officers and 36 NY Port Authority officials who lost their lives in the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001.

It was inspired by the memory of young Irish American firefighter, Seán Tallon, who was among those who died.

Seán spent his early childhood in Donadea, and attended school in Kilcock, before his family moved to New York.
Members of his extended family continue to live in Donadea.

The Donadea 9/11 Memorial consists of a striking scaled replica of the Twin Towers, carved from quarried Irish limestone and engraved with the names of each of those who died in the towers which the sculpture represents.

The monument is set on a specially designed plinth on which the crests of the New York City emergency and rescue services are engraved.

The sculpture is located among a plantation of oak trees, each tree representing a public servant who died in the attacks.

The Donadea 9/11 Memorial has over the past 20 years been visited frequently by family members and friends of those whose names appear on the sculpture, by delegations from the NYPD, NY firefighters and the NY Port Authority and by numerous visitors from all over the world.

The Donadea 9/11 Memorial was the creation of Friends of the Forest, a local group dedicated to the well-being of Donadea Forest, in conjunction with Coillte, and whose chairman was the late Fianna Fáil TD, Michael Fitzpatrick.

He was assisted by community advocate, Morna Hosey, the late George Hipwell of Coillte, Mrs Anne Ward, an aunt of Seán Tallon, and other local volunteers.

Access to the event in Donadea on Saturday is through Donadea Forest Park.