Suggs leads emotional Primrose Hill vigil for stabbed student Finbar Sullivan
Suggs leads emotional Primrose Hill vigil for stabbed student Finbar Sullivan
Thousands gather on Primrose Hill as Suggs performs It Must Be Love at a vigil for 21-year-old Finbar Sullivan, celebrating unity amid tragedy.
Madness frontman Graham “Suggs” McPherson performed at a vigil on Primrose Hill on Sunday evening, honoring Finbar Sullivan, a 21-year-old filmmaking student fatally stabbed in a north London park the previous Friday. Suggs led the crowd in singing “It Must Be Love” as balloons drifted into the early evening sky and dozens of candles and flowers lined the gates, with photographs of Fin displayed for those paying their respects. A minute’s silence was observed as mourners reflected on the young creator’s life.
The event drew a wide circle of figures from music and the arts, including Paul Weller, Dexys Midnight Runners frontman Kevin Rowland, Primal Scream frontman Bobby Gillespie, and The Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock, according to organizers. The gathering brought together friends, family, and fans in a shared moment of grief and remembrance on the hill overlooking the city.
Finbar Sullivan, known as Fin to his friends, studied at the London Screen Academy. His father, Chris Sullivan — a club promoter best known for founding the Wag Club in London — spoke about his son’s ambitions to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, cameraman Michael Seresin, who worked on projects including Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Rambo III. At the vigil, Fin’s family laid out candles and a tribute of photos while attendees offered words of support.
In a heartfelt reflection, Chris Sullivan said he was moved by the turnout and by “the diaspora of people, ages, races, colours and creeds,” unified in a wish for unity, love, and peace. He thanked those who gathered and emphasized the importance of the community standing together in the face of tragedy.
