Tribute to Sunny Jacobs

Afri
Yesterday, we attended the funeral of our beloved friend and collaborator, Sunny Jacobs. It was a beautiful, moving and heartfelt service, filled with memories of her remarkable life and the light she brought to so many.
To mark her passing and share her light with others, we created a short video tribute using photos of Sunny and clips from one of her many powerful contributions to Afri’s events.
We are deeply grateful to those who helped us shape this remembrance and to those who joined the online gathering on Sunday.

🌻 Condolences for Sunny can be shared here: https://rip.ie/…/sunny-jacobs-galway-connemara-596152…

We also want to remember Kevin Kelly, Sunny’s carer and friend, who died alongside her. Kevin’s funeral took place on Saturday, the 7th of June. We extend our heartfelt condolences to all who knew and loved Kevin — especially his mother Fiona, father Ken, Ken’s partner Maureen and her son Jonathan, Kevin’s partner Sheree, his siblings Jill and Cúán, brothers-in-law Conor and Kal, and his beloved nieces Hailee-May and Aila-Rose, and nephew Ezra.

🕊️ Condolences for Kevin can be shared here: https://rip.ie/…/kevin-kelly-galway-costelloe-596046…

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha
May they rest in peace

In Memory of Sunny Jacobs (1947–2025)

Afri

It is with heavy hearts that all of us at Afri mourn the tragic passing of our dear friend, collaborator, and courageous human rights defender Sunny Jacobs.

Sunny and her caretaker, Kevin Kelly, lost their lives in a devastating fire at the Sunny Healing Center in rural County Galway. The loss of Sunny leaves a profound void — not only for those of us privileged to know her personally, but for justice movements across Ireland and around the world. Her life was a testament to resilience, transformation, and unwavering commitment to human rights. Having survived a wrongful conviction, 17 years of imprisonment — including five on death row — Sunny emerged with deep compassion and a fierce dedication to ensuring that others would not suffer in silence or alone.

Alongside her beloved late husband Peter Pringle, Sunny co-founded The Sunny Center, providing healing, solidarity, and practical support to fellow Exonerees worldwide. Together, they created a place of refuge in Ireland, hosting survivors of wrongful conviction and offering a model of restorative justice and compassionate activism that has inspired so many, particularly all of us in Afri.

Sunny’s connection to Afri was longstanding and so deeply valued, enriching and deepening our work immeasurably. She generously contributed to our peace and justice work through talks, workshops, and public events, bringing not only her extraordinary personal story — and her unwavering belief in the possibility of transformation and healing — but her infectious smile and an inimitable and loving joy. Whether speaking about the human cost of injustice, addressing gatherings on the death penalty, or offering wisdom in quieter spaces, Sunny left an indelible mark on all who encountered her. 

We are heartbroken at her loss, but take solace in knowing her spirit, example, and legacy will continue to guide and inspire us. Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann — we will not see her like again.

As we grieve her loss, we wish to honour her spirit — one of courage, compassion, and profound humanity. We know that many of you will wish to do the same. To this end, friends and supporters around the world are invited to join us for an online gathering in Sunny’s memory this coming Sunday.

A Gathering for Sunny Jacobs (1947–2025)

This Sunday, members of Sunny Jacobs’ international community of friends will gather online at 8 pm Irish time (3 pm NYC, 12 pm LA) to light candles, reflect through a short meditation, and share some brief words of reflection in honour of this most remarkable human. This online gathering is offered in advance of further local and international memorials, which will be organised in due course. All are warmly welcome — all you need is a good enough internet connection to join via Zoom. For any questions or special requests, please contact ruairi@loveandcourage.org.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-gathering-for-sunny-jacobs-online-tickets-1395869426029

Funeral Arrangements 

All are warmly welcome who wish to pay their respects to Sunny.

Her reposing will take place at Naughton’s Funeral Home, Knock, Inverin, Co. Galway (H91 AF40) on Monday, 9th June, from 5pm to 7pm.

A short service and cremation will follow at Shannon Crematorium on Tuesday, 10th June, at 12 noon.

Full details on RIP.ie: https://rip.ie/death-notice/sunny-jacobs-galway-costelloe-596152

Condolences for Kevin Kelly
Kevin’s funeral took place on Saturday, the 7th of June. We extend our heartfelt condolences to all who knew and loved Kevin, especially his mother Fiona, his father Ken, Ken’s partner Maureen and her son Jonathan, Kevin’s partner Sheree, his siblings Jill and Cúán, brothers-in-law Conor and Kal, beloved nieces Hailee-May and Aila- Rose, and nephew Ezra. If you would like to leave your condolences, you can do so here: https://rip.ie/death-notice/condolences/kevin-kelly-galway-costelloe-596046

Doolough Famine Walk 2025

Afri

Join us on Saturday, May 17th, 2025, in Louisburgh, Co. Mayo, for our annual Afri Doolough Famine Walk, a poignant journey of remembrance, solidarity, and commitment to action. This year’s theme, Sowing Seeds of Change in Remembrance and Solidarity, calls on us to honour the lives needlessly lost during An Gorta Mór—the Great Hunger—by confronting the enduring injustices of our time in solidarity with communities affected today.

View the brochure and sponsorship card here

Register on Eventbrite here

History of the Famine Walk
Since 1988, our annual ‘Famine’ Walk has shed light on the parallels between the preventable tragedy of An Gorta Mór in Ireland and modern-day injustices worldwide, calling for action to address grave human rights violations globally. While those in dire need of food and relief died in the haunting beauty of the Doolough Valley in 1849, vast quantities of food were exported from Ireland to England —a fate that occurred all over the island during the ‘Famine’ years, 1845 -1852. These predictable, preventable, and human-made catastrophes occurred and continue, not by nature’s hand, but as a consequence of deliberate policies rooted in greed, dispossession, and domination. These stories of suffering, hunger and starvation are not relics of the past, but a living reality woven into the fabric of our world today, owing to colonialism, war and systemic injustice. This Ceremony and Walk serve not only as an invaluable means of remembrance but also as a continuing renewal of commitment to leaving a different legacy, in fierce determination to imagine and strive for a world rooted in justice, dignity, and equity.

Event Highlights & Structure

11:00 AM – Registration in Louisburgh Town Hall

Walkers will gather in Louisburgh Parish Hall from 11 am for registration. All walkers, even those who are pre-registered, must go to the registration desk to check in and collect their ticket to board the shuttle bus (included in ticket price).

12:00 PM – Opening Ceremony
We will gather at Louisburgh Parish Hall for the Opening Ceremony, featuring conversation, live music and thought-provoking reflections on An Gorta Mór and its parallels today from renowned speakers.

Speaker and Performer Highlights
Clare O’Grady Walshe – Seed Keeper, Author, and Expert in Seed Sovereignty and Globalisation

Paul Laverty – Award-winning Screenwriter, Lawyer, Humanitarian and Storyteller.

Eman Mohammed – Senior Ted Fellow and Award-winning Palestinian Photojournalist

Farah Elle – Libyan-Irish Progressive Musician Whose Distinctive Voice Reveals Something of the Beauty in the Ephemeral Every Day.

12:50 PM – Shuttle Buses to Walk Starting Point

Walkers will be shuttled to the walk’s starting point, where a short tree-planting ceremony will take place before the walk begins. The bus takes approximately 20 minutes. Toilet facilities will be available at the starting point. Please note that no parking is available at the starting point, so walkers must take the shuttle bus.

1:30 PM – Doolough Famine Walk
Following a short tree-planting ceremony at the starting point, we will embark on the Doolough Famine Walk. This 17-km journey retraces the steps of those who journeyed or died in the Doolough Tragedy in 1849, honouring each one as a human with a name, hopes, dreams, and fears. On return to the Louisburgh Parish Hall, each walker will receive a Certificate of Completion.

Why Walk With Us?
As we walk in memory of all who died, whether by starvation or disease, not forgetting those displaced, we stand in solidarity with those all over the world for whom the experience of deprivation, destruction and death is a current reality. This event compels us to see how history is repeating itself, particularly in Palestine, where starvation is being weaponised as a tool of genocide, and urges each of us to heed the call of shared struggle for more just futures as ancestors to be. Your participation also supports Afri’s vital work in education, campaigning, and solidarity. By walking, we defy indifference to injustice and commit to building a future where no one is abandoned to hunger or violence.

Book Your Place Today!
Spaces are limited. Secure your ticket now and join a community of remembrance and resolve. Please note that if the cost is a barrier for you at this time, you can reach out to admin@afri.ie confidentially.

Next Steps:
For more information about Places to Stay and Eat in Louisburgh, please go to https://www.louisburgh.ie/

A Facebook group has been set up to support participants travelling to and from the Famine Walk. If you need a lift or can offer one, we encourage you to get in touch with other participants through this link https://www.facebook.com/groups/149422418104070/

Please don’t hesitate to contact admin@afri.ie if you have any questions.

We look forward to seeing you at this unmissable event!

Afri gratefully acknowledges the support of Irish Aid and Trócaire.

Join Afri at PhizzFest 2025 this weekend!

Afri

We’re delighted to share that we have not one but TWO incredible and thought-provoking events coming up as part of Phizzfest this year. With our office in Phibsborough over two decades, it is wonderful to be part of this award-winning and vibrant festival in our local community.

Details of our two events below.

Event One: According to Our Lights: 25 Years of Direct Provision

Join us for this compelling event critically navigating the past, present and future of Direct Provision. Through a powerful performance by writer and actor Donal O’Kelly, we’ll go on a journey through the turbulent waters of influences that led Irish policymakers to create this controversial system for accommodating people needing international refuge over a quarter-century ago. This will be followed by a panel discussion, further delving into the lived reality and policies behind the system today. We will be joined by wonderful panellists Donnah Vuma, Nick Henderson and Mohd Khalil. Full bios are available through this link.

Date: Saturday, May 10, 2025 

Time: 19:00 

Location: McGowans

Tickets are €10 and are available through this link

Event Two: Remembering An Gorta Mór 

Step back in time with Afri as we retrace the footsteps of the Strokestown tenants who were marched from Roscommon to Dublin in 1847, facing the treacherous journey to North America aboard what became known as coffin ships.

During An Gorta Mór, over a million lives were lost to starvation and hunger-related diseases, and countless others forcibly displaced.

This commemoration is not just a tribute to our ancestors, many of whom suffered unimaginable hardships, but also a vital reminder of ongoing injustices impacting communities both in Ireland and around the world. Join us in honouring their memory through story, poetry, and conversation.

Date: Sunday, May 11th, 2025

Time: 13:45 

Location: Meet in Des Kelly Car Park to Walk to the 6th Lock

This is a free event, but booking is essential. Further information and booking at this link

We look forward to seeing you at one (or both!) and highly recommend you check out the entire Phizzfest Programme.

See you soon!

Exploring Contemporary Crises and Issues through GCE: Between Neutrality and Militarisation

Afri

Thank you to IDEA for inviting us and creating this space. We were honoured to be part of this vital conversation, alongside the brilliant Eiad Husham and Niamh Ní Bhriain, who spoke to these issues with such clarity, humanity and urgency.

Education plays a vital role in fostering informed and active citizens. At a time when militarism is increasingly pervasive, and wars and genocide continue unabated, these discussions have never been more critical, particularly for Global Citizenship practitioners.

Militarisation and war exact unbearable and irrevocable tolls on people, ecosystems, and future generations. Yet, despite these known and devastating consequences, significant resources continue to be diverted toward militarisation, with expenditure spending at an unprecedented 2.7 trillion dollars in 2024 (SIPRI, 2025). This not only comes at the expense of directing critical funds towards urgent global challenges like climate change, poverty, and healthcare, but it isn’t resolving conflicts or making anyone safer.

It was important to share how Global Citizenship Education can critically examine these issues through sensitive, creative and engaging methodologies that challenge the values and priorities that lead to such widespread destruction. Please get in touch with katie@afri.ie if you would like to chat through resources, methodologies or strategies for navigating these themes in your work.

 #GlobalCitizenshipEducation #PeaceEducation #Solidarity

Annual Féile na Beatha Festival Takes Place at SETU

Afri

SETU hosted the annual Féile na Beatha (Festival of Life) in collaboration with Afri (Action from Ireland) on Thursday, 27 March.

The event brought together social care students, Afri, and members of the University and local community to commemorate the lives lost during the Great Famine and reflect on how history can guide us in fostering a more caring and compassionate society.

Students of SETU and The Delta Centre singing An Gorta Mór alongside one another at the Famine graveyard during Féile na Beatha
Students of SETU and The Delta Centre singing at Féile na Beatha alongside Joe Black Ryder and Roger Whelan.

Commemorating the past

A central part of the festival was the commemorative walk to the Famine graveyard where over 3,000 people who perished during the Great Famine are buried. Led by Afri, the walk featured reflections from local historian Anthony Brophy and speeches by Katie Martin, Afri and climate justice communicator, Nandana James. First-year social care students, joined by guests from the Delta Centre Carlow, performed ‘An Gorta Mór’, a song that powerfully captured the significance of the day.

Katie Martin, Coordinator of Afri, said,

“Afri is honoured to partner with SETU for this special annual event, which centres on remembrance and solidarity. This year’s theme, ‘Creating Cultures of Care’, was deeply felt as we reflected on the lives lost during An Gorta Mór. Each person buried here is a testament to a tragic chapter in our history and the lessons we have yet to learn. We honour their lives and heed the call for courage in confronting the structures perpetuating inequity. Through commemoration, music, and shared experiences, we strengthened our bonds with SETU and The Delta Centre and reinforced our commitment to building just and inclusive societies together.”

Katie Martin, coordinator at Afri speaking into a microphone in the Famine graveyard at Féile na Beatha.
Katie Martin, Afri speaking at the event.

Exploring the history of social care education

The second half of the event focused on the premiere of a new documentary, ‘The History of Social Care Education’, created by Dr Denise Lyons, Social Care Lecturer at SETU, and PhD candidate Charlotte Burke. The project was funded by the Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement (SATLE) and supported by SETU’s Teaching and Learning Centre. The 45-minute film, produced by RoJnRoll Productions, explored the evolution of social care education in Ireland, and featured insights from Mr Pat Brennan, Sister Stanislaus Kennedy, and third-year social care students, highlighting the pioneering efforts that shaped the profession.

Dr Denise Lyons, Social Care Lecturer at SETU, said,

“The documentary will be available as a resource for students throughout Ireland and available for download from the Social Care Ireland website. The documentary was inspired by the insightful teachings of Pat Brennan, Programme Director of the Kilkenny Programme 1971-1981. Pat’s reflections on the key themes of social care work are still relevant to social care practice and education today.”

Dr Denise Lyons speaking at a podium at Féile na Beatha event
Dr Denise Lyons, SETU speaking at the event.

A lasting impact

The event concluded with a reflection session, where attendees discussed the key themes of the day and how they could apply these lessons in their own lives and communities. Féile na Beatha 2025 served as a powerful reminder that understanding the past is essential to building a future rooted in empathy, solidarity and care.

This article is a repost from www.setu.ie. Please follow this link for further details.

Featured image: Kseniya Rusnak playing the Bandura, the national instrument of Ukraine. Photo by Larysa Karankovich

Food for Thought 2025

Afri

Join us for our annual Food for Thought event this Monday, April 7th from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm at St Mary’s Hall, ATU Mayo!

This year, we’re exploring the vital theme of Peace, Justice, and the Environment. We’ve teamed up with the enthusiastic Third-Year Outdoor Education and History and Geography students from Atlantic Technological University to bring you a truly engaging experience.
We have a vibrant morning planned with thought-provoking discussions and opportunities to connect with fellow participants who care deeply about social justice issues. Share your ideas, learn from others, and become part of a community committed to positive change.

We are delighted to be joined by Catherine Connolly TD for an insightful conversation circle – a chance to hear her perspectives and share your own! We will also have captivating music from the talented The Accidental Rapper and Dylan Swift.

We’d love for you to join us and contribute your valuable insights and perspectives. Please register on Eventbrite here.

We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

Féile na Beatha 2025

Afri

Join Afri and South East Technological University on Thursday, March 27, from 11 am to 2 pm for this remarkable annual festival! This year’s theme, Creating Cultures of Care, prompts us to consider the vital role of care, exploring the profound significance of the past and ways we can forge futures rooted in empathy, solidarity, and support for one another.

Enjoy various engaging and moving events, delving into the intertwined legacies of colonialism and care, challenging us to consider how we honour the past and nurture the future. Through a commemorative walk, music, and the premiere of a thought-provoking documentary, we will explore the profound significance of our past and invite you to consider how we can cultivate a culture of care in our lives and communities.

Event Highlights:

11:00 AM – Launch of the Event in A102

Dr. Eileen Doyle-Walsh, Head of the Faculty of Business and Humanities, will kick off the day with an inspiring message accompanied by beautiful music from Kseniya Rusnak.

11:20 AM – Commemorative Walk to the Famine Graveyard

At the heart of our festival lies the Famine Graveyard, a solemn site where 3,000 souls rest, victims of An Gorta Mór. Led by Afri, we will walk and commemorate those who died or were displaced during this time. Through engaging speakers, including Nandana James, input from a local historian, Anthony Brophy, and song and tree planting, we will consider how caring for one another and the planet embodies the lessons of history. This commemoration also shows how the Famine Graveyard is slowly transforming into a place that not only remembers and honours those who died during An Gorta Mór, but also a space where biodiversity has begun to flourish.

12:40 PM – Launch of Documentary Premiere

Join Dr Denise Lyons and Charlotte Burke at the launch of a powerful new documentary, “The History of Social Care Education.” This critically important documentary explores the history and development of welfare provision in Ireland, specifically looking at the impact of the first social care course in Kilkenny in 1971. Before the screening, we will hear the story of how the documentary came to fruition, as well as insights on the importance of building cultures of care, both locally and globally.

12:50 PM – Documentary Screening

Be among the first to view “The History of Social Care Education.” This powerful 45-minute documentary sheds light on the history of welfare provision in Ireland and how social care education emerged from the inspiration of three adults who wanted to create change in how we cared for vulnerable people in Irish society. This SATLE-funded collaborative project between Dr Denise Lyons, Charlotte Burke and Year 3 students of SETU Carlow Campus, and Mr Pat Brennan, Sr Stanislaus Kennedy and RoJnRoll Productions is not to be missed!

1:40 PM – Reflections, Evaluations, and Closing Music

We will conclude the day with reflections on the themes discussed and how we can embody the lessons of history in our daily lives.

Join us and be part of a transformative experience that honours our past while paving the way for a more caring future.

A conversation with Caoimhe Butterly

Afri
Live from Lesvos, Greece. Friday, February 21st, 2025, 11am-12pm Irish time: Frontlines of Solidarity – Migration, Human Rights, and Solidarity. 
Hosted by IDEA (Irish Development Education Association) in association with Afri, Comlámh, Doras, the Irish Refugee Council, and Uplift.
Free registration but donations welcome to Caoimhe’s choice of refugee solidarity cause.
Free registration at www.tiny.cc/frontlines25 
ABOUT CAOIMHE BUTTERLY
 Caoimhe Butterly (educator, activist & trauma-informed psychotherapist) joins us live from Lesvos island in Greece, where she has worked for periods of the past 11 years with refugee solidarity/ support & Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) networks there. Greece is a place of both transit and in limbo, where refuge-seekers from Afghanistan, Palestine, Congo, Syria, Sudan, Eritrea, Iraq, Somalia, etc., remain in camps in which both humanitarian support & access to rights remain below the basic. With the militarisation & externalisation of EU borders & prevalent pushbacks, the narratives of those on the move are often made invisible. Caoimhe joins us to speak of some of the stories of those she has worked with, as well as the broader context.