Covid-19: Painted stones represent lives lost during pandemic

The stones were placed in a heart shape near the steps of Stormont on Monday

Families bereaved during the Covid-19 pandemic gathered at Stormont on Monday evening to remember their loved ones.

The event involved families who have lost someone over the last 18 months displaying a collection of painted stones in their memory.

Brenda Doherty, whose mother Ruth Burke died in March, was one of those behind Memory Stones of Love.

Her group is now campaigning to have a permanent memorial installed for all those who died during the pandemic.

Relatives of those who have died since last March joined the vigil at Stormont

"We're here today to say to our MLAs [assembly members] that we want a permanent memorial," Ms Doherty told BBC News NI.

"We want somewhere that we can go to remember our loved ones and reflect on the people they were.

"My mum deserves that, as does everyone else we lost during the pandemic."

"We want somewhere that we can go to remember our loved ones and reflect on the people they were" says Brenda Doherty

Ms Doherty said that every painted stone "represents the life of the loved one lost" and many depict something that reflects the person that they were.

"People will tell us different stories of their lost loved ones. So we will have stones with bicycles on because somebody loved to ride a bike, golf players on because they loved to play golf, a robin because they liked robins," Ms Doherty said.

"We chose a butterfly [for mum] because on the same day, at different times, my sister and I were at the cemetery and a butterfly flew in.

"Today, when we were setting our stones out, a butterfly with the same markings was on the window," Ms Doherty explained.

"Not everybody would understand this, but for me that's just mum saying that she's here today."

Ms Doherty and her family painted a butterfly on their stone to remember their mother

The stones also remember anyone who has died during the past 18 months and was denied the type of funeral they wished due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Aoibhínn O'Sullivan, who was at the event to remember her father, Hugh Higgins, said their family was robbed of a "normal grieving process" because of Covid-19.

Ms O'Sullivan believes Monday night's event and the potential for a permanent memorial for people like her father would be beneficial for many families to help them come to terms with their loss.

"I feel that time has stood still since my father died," Ms O'Sullivan told BBC News NI.

Aoibhínn O'Sullivan attended the event to remember her father, Hugh Higgins

"We didn't go through the normal grieving process, the normal funeral and it was very difficult not having a wake.

"I have only recently joined this group and came along here tonight and have gained so much solace from it," she said.

Ms O'Sullivan described the candlelit vigil and painted stones as "very therapeutic" and believes there are many people, like herself, who have lost a loved one during Covid-19 who may be feeling like "their grief was halted".

"I do genuinely believe that there are a lot of people in Northern Ireland, throughout Ireland and throughout the world who have not experienced the normal grieving process - whatever that is."