Rajiv Kalsi and Balbir Kaur on how the Air India memorial site gives them a sense of belonging.

My wife and I travelled to the village of Ahakista in West Cork this year to honour the victims of the 1985 Air India Flight 182 tragedy.

It has been 40 years since the crash. Forty years of families searching for answers to this senseless tragedy - a tragedy that has brought strangers to the Air India memorial site overlooking Dunmanus Bay to share their stories and to grieve, but to also renew bonds and affirm the human qualities of compassion and empathy.  

My connection to Ahakista and the memorial site goes back to June 23, 1986. It was my first visit to Ireland. I was 20 years old. That year saw the unveiling of the memorial sundial designed by Irish sculpture Ken Thompson, built on land donated by a local farmer, to honour and remember the victims. 

I had travelled to Ireland with my parents. For my father, Rattan Kalsi, it was his second visit.

He had come to Ireland with other grieving families in June, 1985, after they learned of the air crash.

My sister, Indira Kalsi, age 21, was among the 329 victims.  

The crash site was about 120 miles (190 km) off the County Cork coast, and one of the nearest towns to that site was Ahakista.

Following the crash, many family members were taken there to be as close as they could come to the aircraft wreckage. 

Out of the 329, only 131 bodies were recovered.

During that dark time, the victims’ family members were looked after by the local Irish people.

Everyone from gardaí to clergy and the public showed compassion, support and friendship to arriving families.

When the locals saw these new arrivals, they offered them flowers to take to Ahakista so that they could place them in the waters of Dunmanus Bay to honour the lives lost.

Over the years my parents and other families formed strong bonds with the locals.

They returned year after year for the June 23rd service.

For them, this was a place of solace and peace, and a place to spend time with their Irish friends.

It was also the place where my parents wanted to have their ashes scattered when they passed and we were able to fulfill those wishes in 2017. 

Rajiv’ s parents at the memorial in 1986.

When my parents first came to the memorial site, one of the things that brought them comfort was the act of preparing the grounds and planting flowers and shrubs along the pathway leading to the memorial sundial. 

Every year, ahead of the memorial service, they and other victim’s family members would make a trip to Deelish Garden Centre in Skibbereen to purchase plants such as bells of Ireland, sea asters, and colourful hydrangeas that my mother loved so much.

The gardens are well cared for by the local community, and it is always comforting to come back to the memorial site and see how the plants are thriving. 

The ceremony this year, as in previous years, was beautiful and very touching. It was a cold morning but, for a change, the sun was shining.

We were joined by many other victims’ families, friends and local people who come every year to honour the lives lost. 

Some first responders who were at the crash site in 1985 also attended the service, as did local school children and officials. 

We had family members from Canada, the US, the UK and Japan join us this year and for some, it was their first visit to Ahakista.

We always forewarn them that it is a small but vibrant seaside village with no chain stores or urban amenities.

We tell them to bring their walking shoes, as this is the best way to get a feel of the place and to get around.   

We talk about the one pub, one restaurant and one café – all five-star establishments (in our eyes).

We love introducing family and friends to these hidden gems and for them to meet the people who run them. 

Rajiv and Balbir at Heron Cafe.

The Tin Pub is quirky and iconic, with a beautiful beer garden and stunning views of Kitchen Cove and Dunmanus Bay.

Arundel’s, the restaurant, has great food and atmosphere. The Heron Café and Gardens are run by Annabel Langrish, the owner and in-house artist. 

The gallery features Annabel’s art work, which can be enjoyed while relaxing with food and great coffee either in the gallery or out in the beautiful gardens.

The café makes the best scones in the world, served with jam and fresh clotted cream! 

Ahakista is one of those rare places where strangers take the time to stop and chat.

It’s a place where you connect with the locals and share your stories. It is also a place of rugged beauty and majestic views, where you can hike along the Sheep’s Head Way, a 146km walking trail that passes through the hamlet. 

It is a peaceful place to reflect on what has been lost, but also on what has been gained through new and continued friendships.

Speaking to many locals, we learned that for them, Flight 182 is their loss as well as ours, since it happened close to their home and affected many of the first responders and local citizens. 

We plan to come back to Ahakista in the coming years and hope to maintain the connection with the people and the place, and do more exploring of the rugged landscape along the Sheep’s Head Way.