Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) is to attend the vigil held for Ashling Murphy outside the Dáil at 4pm this afternoon.
News of the 23-year old primary school teacher’s death has caused widespread shock and anger in recent days. On Wednesday afternoon (January 12) at approximately 4pm, Ashling Murphy was attacked and murdered while on a run by the canal in Tullamore, Co. Offaly.
Vigils are being held across the country this afternoon in her honour.
TCDSU this afternoon announced that they will also be in attendance at the vigil, with President Leah Keogh tweeting the sabbatical team would be meeting at 3:30pm outside House Six. The president also urged anyone to join them if they would like someone to walk to Leinster House with.
The National Women’s Council of Ireland and many other groups have organised vigils across the country today and this weekend, in honour of the young primary school teacher.
The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) released a statement expressing its “horror and revulsion” at Murphy’s killing, saying that “any murder is one too many, and they have been disturbingly frequent in the recent past; but that of Ashling has shocked all of Ireland, and rightly so.”
The IFUT statement continued: “The maintenance of our communities and the development of our society depend from day to day on the dedicated, selfless service provided in all walks of life
by often very young, predominantly female members of the workforce like
Ashling.
“It is all the more abhorrent that they should be precisely the cohort that is also the most threatened by horrible, gender-based violence.”
TCDSU Welfare and Equality Officer Sierra Müller-Owens also tweeted this afternoon that the events this Wednesday were “deeply troubling for the college community”. She also stressed that there are supports in place for students, and urged anyone in need of support to contact her via email.
TCD Headspace has also emphasised that their services are available for any students who are feeling impacted by the death of Ashling Murphy. They can be contacted by email at [email protected].
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, the following helplines are also available:
Samaritans: 116 123
Women’s Aid: 1800 341 900
Dublin Rape Crisis Centre: 1800 77 8888
