THE MAIN TEACHING unions are asking all schools to observe a minute’s silence in memory of Ashling Murphy, who will be laid to rest tomorrow. 

The 23-year-old teacher was killed on Wednesday evening as she ran by the Grand Canal in Tullamore, Co. Offaly. 

Her funeral mass will take place tomorrow at 11.00 am at St Brigid’s Church in Mount Bolus, followed by her burial at Lowertown Cemetery.

To coincide with the funeral, the INTO, ASTI, FÓRSA and the TUI have asked that students and teachers in schools across the state fall silent in her memory.  

“All schools across the country are being asked to observe a minute’s silence at 11am on Tuesday, 18 January in memory of Ashling Murphy,” the unions said in a statement.

We are encouraging schools to fall silent to remember a beloved primary school teacher, taken far too soon, and show our solidarity with her friends, family, colleagues and pupils as Ashling is laid to rest.

Tens of thousands of people attended vigils and memorials in recent days to remember Ashling, with hundreds gathering around the country and world again yesterday.

This morning, MLAs in the Northern Ireland Assembly gathered in front of Parliament Buildings at Stormont for a vigil. 

First Minister Paul Givan, deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill, DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson and SDLP leader Colum Eastwood were among those in attendance. 

Michelle O’Neill said there must be a zero-tolerance approach towards misogyny and sexism.

“Together we must say enough is enough; as we also remember many of the women, with Ashling, who were killed on this island in during the pandemic years,” she said. 

Gardaí spoke with a person of interest over the weekend as part of the investigation into Ashling’s killing which sent shockwaves through the country.