Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council held an annual Garden of Reflection service today (Thursday 22nd May) at Lagan Valley Island. The service gave local families a chance to remember lost loved ones including babies born asleep, babies lost through miscarriage, neonatal losses or young people under the age of 18.
Mayor, Councillor Kurtis Dickson led the service alongside his Mayoral Chaplain, Reverend Stephen Reain-Adair in the Garden of Reflection at Lagan Valley Island, which is open every day as a space for the public to remember loved ones.
The Kirkwood family who advocated for the garden’s creation read a beautiful poem they had written before the ceremony concluded with a minute’s silence.
Families and friends of those who have added the names of loved ones to the benches since 2019 were invited to visit the Garden and take time to reflect. Sadly, there are now 1,031 names engraved on plaques in this place of solace.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mayor Dickson said: “As a council we hope this garden and our annual service bring a small measure of comfort and support to those living with grief. This space has been and will continue to be a focal point of quiet reflection and remembrance for much loved and cherished babies and children.
“Parents or next of kin are invited each year to submit the names of their loved ones to be engraved on a memorial plaque. We want to provide a lasting tribute and offer some further comfort, particularly for those who may have no other physical location to go to.
“I express my most sincere gratitude to everyone who submitted names for inclusion on the memorial plaque for 2025. We have added them alongside those from previous years.”
'For You.....Our Little Angels' by Julie Kirkwood
For all the tears we've cried for you
a river we could fill
Cos we will never forget that very sad day
when our world stood still
For all the times we've wondered
about the memories we will never get to make
As we live each day without you
our hearts will always ache
For the little one we longed for
was briefly here then gone
But our little angels stay close by
For in our hearts their memory will forever live on
Today we are here together in this special place
to reflect & hope it brings some comfort too
Because today is about our little angels
Today this is for you
You can watch a recording of the service below.