Concern is humbled by the empathy and humanity of the Irish

We are at the end of what has been an extraordinarily challenging year, one when conflict, climate change, migration and Ebola have all dominated the headlines.

2015 was a year when the world felt smaller, more interconnected and more insecure. A year when the number of refugees surpassed 60million, when flooding, drought and earthquakes wreaked havoc and destruction across the poorest communities.

It was also year when the flame of humanity shone brightly, when acts of kindness, courage and compassion multiplied and rose to meet the challenges.