ON Sunday, approximately 5,000 pairs of shoes were laid out in front of Stormont buildings in Belfast, each pair symbolising a young life lost in the Gaza conflict since October 2023.
The event, organised by Enniskillen dance artist Dylan Quinn, was a moving tribute to the innocent victims of the ongoing violence.
Reflecting on the installation, Mr Quinn described it as ‘deeply emotional’.
“We laid approximately 10,000 shoes in total to acknowledge and remember those young people whose lives have been so brutally and needlessly taken in Gaza as a result of the actions of the Israeli Defence Forces,” he said.
“The shoes covered the entire road from Carson’s statue to the top of the hill. This was a fraction of the number of shoes I had originally sought to gather.
“Had we managed to collect those shoes it would have covered the entire grounds of Stormont. That’s the scale of the tragedy, and it’s just children.”
The event was supported by volunteers from across Ireland, many of whom brought their own shoes to contribute.
“The laying out of the shoes was largely undertaken in silence. Some volunteers brought their children, making the moment even more poignant,” Mr Quinn added.
During the installation, Quinn met Mohammed, a young Palestinian man visiting Stormont, who expressed his gratitude for the gesture of solidarity.
However, Mr Quinn said also he faced criticism from a passerby, who dismissed the event as ‘misplaced’.
“He challenged me, saying all Palestinians are Hamas and brought it on themselves. He just refused to acknowledge that we were honouring the lives of children. It reinforced to me the importance of speaking out against this silence because it’s so important that we talk about the reality of what is happening.”
Mr Quinn hopes to take the installation to other locations, including Croke Park, and has called on GAA president Jarlath Burns to support the initiative.
“We must continue to speak about Gaza and Palestine,” he said. “The death toll is staggering – officially around 46,000, including 17,000 children, but it’s likely much higher. We must ensure these lives are not forgotten.”
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