‘For Pawel to lose his life in the way he did is tragic’

‘For Pawel to lose his life in the way he did is tragic’

By Aideen O’Flaherty

A BOOK of condolence has been opened in County Hall, Tallaght, in memory of Pawel Adamowicz, the 53-year-old mayor of the Polish city of Gdansk, who passed away after being stabbed while on stage at a charity event in the city last Sunday. 

A number of local South Dublin County councillors had previously met Mr Adamowicz, including Mark Ward, the mayor of South Dublin County Council, who opened the book of condolence on Tuesday morning.

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Pawel Adamowicz (right) passed away on Monday 

The book of condolence will remain open until 5pm on Monday, January 21. 

Mayor Ward said: “I had the pleasure to meet Pawel Adamowicz in Vienna last year at the Innovation in Politics Awards.

“Pawel won the Human Rights category for his approach to immigration and integration.

“Research showed that the attitudes towards immigration are higher in Gdansk than in any other Polish City.

“This is a testament to the man and his liberal approach.

“I spent some time with Pawel after the awards and his outgoing personality was plain to see. He was intelligent, funny and very proud to be the Mayor of Gdansk.

“He held this position for over 20 years.

“He was very interested in Ireland and how his fellow country men and women were getting on in Ireland. He was keen to strengthen links between Gdansk and South Dublin.

“For Pawel to lose his life in the way that he did is tragic.”

South Dublin County Council’s Facebook post about the opening of the book of condolence also garnered a strong response online.

Hundreds of members of the Polish community in South Dublin commented and shared the post, expressing their thanks for the opening of the book of condolence, with one saying that it “means a lot” to Polish people in Ireland.

Social Democrats councillor Dermot Looney, who had previously met Mr Adamowicz, offered his condolences online, where he described Mr Adamowicz as “unapologetically pro-migrant and pro-LGBT in a country where such views have been staunchly opposed of late.

“He was also very popular amongst the people of Gdansk and was elected five times in a row.

“May he rest in peace.”

Mr Adamowicz was on stage at a large charity event in Gdansk when a man wielding a knife got on stage and stabbed him.

A 27-year-old man from Gdansk has been charged with the mayor’s murder.

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