President Higgins attended the funeral of Justin Kilcullen at St. Anne's Church, Shankill, Dublin.
Following the news of Mr Kilcullen's passing, the Preisdent issued the following statement:
“All of those who have been working over the decades on humanitarian issues affecting the most vulnerable will have heard with great sadness of the passing of Justin Kilcullen.
It was a privilege to know and to work with Justin on the projects of Trócaire, with its special emphasis on not only identifying human need, but of asking the structural questions as to how injustice repeats itself.
Justin’s loss is particular in so far as the special skills that he had as an architect, with a rare qualification and experience in the design of temporary shelter and transition shelter, work for which he received international recognition. It is now probably one of the most important skills we need in this area.
As Executive Director of Trócaire for 20 years, Justin had to travel the two furrows of dealing with international institutions and governments in all of their complexities, and at the same time he was always anxious to hear reports from the field, in which he had rich experience himself.
During that time, I travelled with Sally O’Neill in particular to many of the areas in which Trócaire was working and saw first-hand the vital, tireless work which they were undertaking with so many communities.
Justin will be missed, and far beyond Ireland. He will be remembered with the greatest warmth by all those who worked with and knew him in Trócaire, SADAKA, Social Justice Ireland and so many other organisations and campaigns.
May I express my deepest sympathies to Justin’s wife Róisín, to his children Ruth, Eoin and Michael, and to all of his family, friends and colleagues.”
