Ireland honours victims on twenty-fifth anniversary of 9/11
Minister Helen McEntee has reflected on the profound loss of Irish lives during the tragic events of September 2001. The government will pay formal tribute to the victims and courageous first responders during an upcoming visit to New York.
Today marks a sombre milestone as we observe the twenty-fifth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. The nation pauses to remember the 2,977 innocent souls lost in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, a tragedy that claimed the lives of at least eighteen Irish citizens and left countless families in enduring grief. We extend our deepest sympathies to all those who continue to live with the physical and emotional scars of that horrific day.
Our thoughts turn particularly to the extraordinary bravery of the first responders who acted with selfless courage, including the 441 members of the emergency services who perished while saving others. Among those remembered is the Irish-American chaplain Fr. Mychal Judge, whose sacrifice remains a poignant symbol of the deep, historic ties between Ireland and New York. These connections are etched into the city’s history, from the names on memorial walls to the personal artefacts recovered from the rubble.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee TD, will travel to New York during the upcoming UN High Level Week to lay a wreath at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Ireland’s Consul General will also represent the country at various commemorative services, including a memorial mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral. Further details regarding the official programme of events and ongoing support initiatives are available on the official government website.