As Ireland marks National Grief Awareness Week (26 January – 1 February 2026), we are highlighting the vital role of bereavement support and reaffirming our commitment to walking alongside individuals, families and children as they navigate loss. In our latest reporting period, Galway Hospice Foundation delivered 674 bereavement support services across Galway and Mayo.
Grief is a natural and deeply personal response to the death of someone close. While family and friends can offer important support, many people also benefit from additional care, space and understanding at different points in their grief journey. National Grief Awareness Week, led by the Irish Hospice Foundation, encourages greater openness, compassion and awareness around grief.
At Galway and Mayo Hospices, bereavement support is a core part of holistic palliative care and extends well beyond the death of a loved one. According to our latest Impact Statement, 422 bereavement support services were delivered in Galway and 252 in Mayo, helping adults, children and families process loss in their own time and in their own way.
These free supports are delivered by our Medical Social Work Team and include individual counselling, group support, telephone support, family meetings and remembrance services, as well as community-based initiatives such as Walk & Talk and the Bereavement Café.
In 2024, we launched the Bereavement Café, a free and welcoming space open to all adults who have experienced loss — not only those previously connected with hospice services. While it is not a counselling service, the café offers mutual support, understanding and connection in a safe and informal environment.
Another key initiative, Walk & Talk, brings people who are grieving together in a gentle outdoor setting, combining professional guidance with peer connection. Attendance at Walk & Talk increased by 46% in 2024, with regular groups now meeting in Galway and Castlebar. Participants consistently describe the programme as a source of comfort, relief and hope.
Our work is also supported by a dedicated Bereavement Support Volunteer Service, which works alongside the Medical Social Work Team to provide individual and telephone support, facilitate bereavement groups and assist with remembrance events.
Remembrance Services remain a deeply meaningful part of bereavement care. In 2024, we held four remembrance services in Galway (both in person and online), alongside one annual service, while three remembrance services took place in Mayo. During these services, candles were lit in memory of the 927 people who died under the care of Galway and Mayo Hospices during the year.
We also provide specialist bereavement support for children, young people and families, recognising that grief is experienced differently at every age and stage of life. Our services include individual and family counselling, group work, and guidance for parents and carers supporting bereaved children through major life milestones.
As we mark National Grief Awareness Week, we want people to know that no one has to face grief alone. Whether through counselling, walking alongside others, sharing a cup of tea at the Bereavement Café, or simply being heard, support is available. Grief deserves understanding, time and compassion.
National Grief Awareness Week aims to encourage a more open, supportive and understanding approach to grief across Ireland, helping both those who are grieving and those supporting them to navigate loss with greater empathy.
Living with breathlessness can have a profound impact on a person’s confidence, independence and quality of life. At Galway Hospice,…
Helen Brennan carries a writing pad with her everywhere. It has become her voice — her way of staying connected…
“As we begin our Tree of Lights Ceremony, we light this lantern. It is a beacon of light and hope…
