Ashley Donohoe profile: Irish-American homecoming queen

Ashley Donohoe (22) was the oldest of the six students killed. She was an Irish-American citizen from Rohnert Park in the San Francisco Bay Area and a a cousin of Olivia Burke who also died.

Ashley’s parents George, an electrician, and Jackie Cronin Donohoe, who works in education, have been living in the US since 1989. They emigrated to the area from Dublin and live in Rohnert Park, about 60km north of San Francisco.

She has a teenage sister, Amanda, who recently graduated from high school, a moment in her life marked by a party attended by her cousin, Olivia.

The vice principal of Rancho Cotate High School, Josh Wilson, recalled his former student as a young woman who was “loved by her peers”.

“She was definitely a leader,” he told the San Francisco Chronicle.

After she graduated and left for Sonoma State University, Ms Donohoe returned to Rancho Cotate to help out as an assistant soccer coach. "Some of my fondest memories are of her coming back and saying, 'I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and give back'," Mr Wilson said.

Ms Donohoe’s best friend, Andrew Martini, told the newspaper she “could relate with everyone. Always approachable. Always something funny to tell you.”

They both grew up together and dated for three years at school.

Ms Donohoe was ‘homecoming queen’ and Mr Martini was ‘homecoming king’ - honorary roles to which students are elected by their peers.

Both went on to study biology at Sonoma State and they were preparing to enter their fifth year together in the autumn. “She was looking into becoming a forensic pathologist because it was so different from what everyone else was doing,” Mr Martini said.