Berkeley dead remembered at Galway city vigil

The victims of last week's tragedy in Berkeley were remembered at a candlelight vigil in Galway city centre on Wednesday.

The spontaneous event was organised to take place after Wednesday’s funerals of two of the six Irish students who lost their lives in the balcony collapse.

One of the seven others who were seriously injured in the tragedy, Niall Murray, is a student at NUI Galway.

Mr Murray, from Rathfarnham in Dublin, is being treated at the Eden Medical Center in California. He suffered severe injuries in the fall from the balcony at Kittredge Street, but is reported to be making progress in his recovery.

Hundreds queued to sign a book of condolence at Eyre Square in front of a photographic montage of the students who died.

Among those waiting in line was Nicola Durnin from Westside in Galway who had an anxious wait to hear news of her niece, Faye Yorke who is among the hundreds of Irish students on a J-1 working visa in California.

Ms Yorke (21) is a student at Waterford Institute of Technology and Ms Durnin had to endure a painful few hours after hearing of the tragedy, hoping her niece would post a message on Facebook to confirm that she was okay.

“She’s just 21, exactly the age of those poor students and you try not to think the worst.

“I just had to wait for her to pop up on Facebook to tell her family that she not involved in the tragedy – we were lucky.

“There are a lot of Galway people, especially students, over in the Berkeley area and Faye and her friends got together and helped out at the remembrance service for the students who died,” said Ms Durnin.

Quiet tribute

Aidan Finn had travelled into the city from his home in Kilcolgan in south Galway just to pay his own quiet tribute to those who died and to wish those injured a speedy recovery.

“It’s a small gesture, but I just wanted to do something to show solidarity. I thought I should, even though I never knew any of them,” he said.

Event organiser, Tommy Roddy said he could not alone take the credit for the idea of the vigil.

“My friend, Audrey Staunton posted a message on Facebook last week to suggest the idea and myself and another friend, Dale Conroy got together with Audrey to help out.

“I have no connection with any of the students, but I was touched by the whole thing, just like a lot of other people.”

As the evening wore on the crowd attending the event swelled and the queue to sign the book of condolence stretched deep into the heart of Eyre Square.

Among those attending were the Mayor of Galway, Cllr Frank Fahy and members of the city council. A number of tourists to the city were also among those who joined the queue to express their sympathy.