Tributes have been paid to former Trócaire executive director Justin Kilcullen who has died.
Mr Kilcullen joined the organisation in 1981 and worked for many years in Africa and Asia. He was appointed executive director of Trócaire in 1993, holding that position for 20 years until his retirement in 2013.
President Michael D Higgins has led tributes and said those who have been working over decades on humanitarian issues affecting the most vulnerable “will have heard with great sadness of the passing of Justin Kilcullen”.
“It was a privilege to know and to work with Justin on the projects of Trócaire, with its special emphasis on not only identifying human need, but of asking the structural questions as to how injustice repeats itself,” Mr Higgins said in a statement.
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“Justin’s loss is particular in so far as the special skills that he had as an architect, with a rare qualification and experience in the design of temporary shelter and transition shelter, work for which he received international recognition. It is now probably one of the most important skills we need in this area.”
Taoiseach Simon Harris said Irish people have always been very proud of the work of Trócaire, adding “and that is in no small part down to the leadership of Justin.
“He fought for the dignity of every human being and never stopped striving for a more just world,” Mr Harris said.
“He influenced Irish thinking and ultimately Irish Government policy through countless hours of advocacy and engagement and through dedicated service on the hunger taskforce.”
Caoimhe de Barra, chief executive of Trócaire, said it was a sad day for the organisation and that Mr Kilcullen had “a passion for justice and a deep belief in the dignity and rights of every human being which drove and defined him.
“He was fearless in his activism for human rights and for a more just world. He was a wise and generous leader who inspired and supported generations of people involved in development, humanitarianism, human rights and environmental work,” Ms de Barra said.
“He was kind and compassionate and has been taken from us far too soon. It is a sad day for many of us within Trócaire who were privileged to work with Justin and our thoughts are with his wife Róisín and his children at this difficult time.”
The board and staff of Social Justice Ireland, of which Mr Kilcullen served as chairman for two terms from 2015 to 2021, were also among those to pay tribute.
Prof Tony Fahey, chairman of the organisation’s board, said Mr Kilcullen was “an outstanding friend and supporter of Social Justice Ireland”.
“Through his many years of service both as member and chairperson of the board, he was always wise, knowledgeable and strong in his commitment to social justice and in his support for the work of SJI,” he said.
Born in Dublin, Mr Kilcullen graduated from University College Dublin in architecture. He began working overseas in Tanzania before moving to Asia, where he worked with the United Nations specialising in the design and construction of refugee camps for Cambodian and Vietnamese refugees. He joined Trócaire in 1981 as Africa Programme Officer and later served as Trócaire representative in Laos.
Mr Kilcullen was also a president of CIDSE – an international alliance of Catholic development organisations in Europe and North America – and of Concord, the confederation of European development NGOs, representing more than 1,600 such organisations across the European Union.
In 2002, he was awarded the Robert Matthew Medal by the International Union of Architects for his work on human settlements. In 2019, he was awarded a papal knighthood of the Order of Saint Gregory the Great.
Mr Kilcullen is survived by his wife Róisín and children Ruth, Eoin and Michael.
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