National Service Day, Church bells will ring to honor front-line workers

A request has been issued from the side of Dublin’s two Archbishops to the communities to ring their church bells on the National Service Day, which is tomorrow. The alarming of the bell is in honor of all the front-line service workers of the state along with those people who deals with the global pandemic.

The parishes are asked to ring the bell at 3 pm on Saturday afternoon by the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin and Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin and Glendalough.  

The Frontline Emergency Security Services Éire Forum (FESSEF) has requested for the churches of Ireland to bell to mark the day to show appreciation, love and support for the frontline security and emergency services.

The National Service Day is organized by the FESSEF and the theme of this year’s celebration is “Remembering with Dignity”.

This year the committee will remember and mourn the death of all those lives which were taken away by coronavirus. The infected ones, who still fight for their lives will also be considered on the day and those workers who are fighting against it.

By accommodating just 15 people, on Saturday a small function will take place at Collins Barracks in Dublin. The number of people had limited to just 15 because of the Covid-19 restrictions.

Seamus O Neill chair of FESSEF said limitations on crowds meant they had to limit numbers at Collins Barracks but it was hoped the Day would have a nationwide impact.

Nationwide, however, local services at such as Garda Stations and Fire Stations, will also mark the Day at 3pm.

Seamus O Neill said that “By ringing the church bells the Church will show solidarity with frontline workers,” he said. “The churches will unite with the Air Corps, who are expected to do a fly over; with motorists who are being asked to honk their car horns at 3pm; and with emergency and security services locally up and down the country who will remember appropriately.”