The official launch of Shapes Of Grief was a truly powerful evening, last Thursday, March 31st 2022. 

Branwen Kavanagh opened and closed the event with her beautiful music. 

Introduction was given by Liz Gleeson, who shared a personal story of loss and then talked about the many Shapes Of Grief.

Ruth Fitzmaurice read three pieces, including from her book ‘I found my tribe’, about her grief following the deaths of her husband Simon and a year later, her brother John.

Ger Murphy spoke of the grief that followed him through his life having discovered his father dead, at the age of nine, and then his brother’s death by suicide twenty years later. Ger also shared a piece about climate grief. 

Kathleen Keyes spoke about the depths of her grief following the deaths of her three children, Grainne, Darragh and Fergal.

Orla Keegan, from the Irish Hospice Foundation, spoke about the Adult Bereavement Pyramid and the structures that bereavement support falls into. 

Marian Cronin and Branwen Kavanagh performed a beautiful dance/song improvisation at the opening of the second half (not in this recording, please see the video on YouTube for this).

Dr Kathryn Mannix talked about the need for proper conversations around death and the importance of presence and tenderness with people who are facing into difficult life events, such as dying or grief.