Atomic bombing of Hiroshima commemorated in Dublin

The annual commemoration for the victims of the Hiroshima atomic bomb took place at the memorial cherry tree in Merrion Square Park, Dublin, on Sunday, 6th August 2023, the 78th anniversary of the bombing. Despite torrential rain during the ceremony, over 70 people gathered to remember all those affected by nuclear testing and weapons, and to affirm their determination that such an atrocity must never happen again.

Welcoming those in attendance, Irish CND chairperson, Dr David Hutchinson Edgar, paid tribute to the leading roles in working internationally for nuclear disarmament played by Austria, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, whose ambassadors were present. He noted Ireland's partnership with countries such as these in the New Agenda Coalition, which has recently submitted a strong working paper aimed at breaking what some see as the current stalemate in disarmament negotiations, "Taking Forward Nuclear Disarmament," at the United Nations. He praised Austria's role as host of the first meeting of states parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and acknowledged the vision for a world free of nuclear weapons put forward by Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, in the context of the G7 meeting in Hiroshima earlier this year.

Ambassadors from Austria, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa joined representation from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, together with Irish CND Chairperson David Hutchinson Edgar, Japanese Ambassador Norio Maruyama and Dublin City Councillor Danny Byrne, who spoke at the ceremony.

Cllr Danny Byrne, representing Dublin City, reminded the audience of the horrors that struck Hiroshima on 6th August 1945, when approximately 80,000 people were annihilated instantly, with casualities reaching 140,000 within a year. He highlighted how each casualty represented not a number, but "human lives with the right to dignity, all terminated by ... the immeasurable brutality of the atomic bomb." He noted that Dublin was the first Irish city to join Mayors For Peace, co-founded by the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and re-affirmed Dublin's commitment to the vision of Mayors For Peace: a world free of nuclear weapons, safe and resilient cities, and promoting a culture of peace. Cllr Byrne laid a wreath on behalf of the people of Dublin at the end of the ceremony. 

Cllr Danny Byrne laid a wreath at the memorial tree on behalf of the people of Dublin.

In a recorded message, Irish CND vice-president, Adi Roche, spoke of the threat to life on earth posed both by nuclear weapons and by the weaponisation of civil nuclear facilities in Ukraine, and decried the massive waste of resources represented by nuclear weapons: "Because of the billions spent on weapons development and production, the people of the world have paid the ultimate cost through hunger, poverty, homelessness, unemployment, environmental degradation, while the big powers have endless funding for militarism and nuclear weapons." She praised the positive contributions of Ireland's policy of active neutrality and called for the use of "the power of our intellect, diplomatic abilities and our negotiating talents to bring an end to the current war in Ukraine and beyond."

His Excellency Mr Norio Maruyama, Japanese ambassador to Ireland, reflected on Japan's unique responsibility in relation to nuclear disarmament as the only country which has suffered an atomic bomb attack. He spoke of Prime Minister Kishida's initiative to promote nuclear disarmament among his colleagues in the G7 group of countries, and reiterated Japan's determination to keep working until nuclear weapons have been eliminated. 

Japanese ambassador, His Excellency Mr Norio Maruyama, spoke through heavy rain at the ceremony.

Musicians Máire Ní Bheaglaíoch (accordion) and Philip Horan (Japanese flute) contributed several pieces of reflective traditional music during the ceremony, which for many of those present, expressed a depth of feeling beyond words in response to the horror of nuclear weapons. Misato Omori read the poem, "That's my home", by Ukrainian poet Anastasia Afanasieva, reflecting on the personal impact of the horrors of war. 

Misato Omori read the poem "That's my home," by Anastasia Afanasieva.

Approximately 14,000 nuclear weapons remain in the world today, with just under 2,000 ready to fire within minutes, more than enough to destroy life on earth as we know it many times over. We call on all people to stand in solidarity with the victims of these horrific weapons of mass destruction, and to affirm our determination to work for their elimination, the only way to ensure that the ghastly events of Hiroshima and Nagasaki will never be repeated.