Irish community in Perth shaken by recent deaths

The tight-knit Irish community in Perth, Western Australia has been shaken by the deaths of nine people in the last three weeks, including five in the past week.

On Wednesday Joseph McDermott from Omagh, Co Tyrone and Gerry Bradley from Portstewart, Co Derry, both in their 20s, were killed when a concrete panel fell on them as it was being unloaded at a construction site in the suburb of East Perth.

Last Saturday Alan Haughey (28),from Craigavon, Co Armagh was killed in a car crash. Another young man and a young woman also died. “There has been a shocking run of deaths of Irish people in Perth in the last week or two. It’s breathtakingly shocking,” Ireland’s Honorary Consul in Perth, Marty Kavanagh told The Irish Times.

“We’ve never had so many fatalities in such a concentrated period. The sadness for the families must be just terrible.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the community response. Not just the outpouring of grief, but the amazing generosity of both spirit and money. People, particularly in the construction industry, are just so sad, and everyone’s trying to do something.”

Irish priest Fr Joe Walsh is saying a Mass for the deceased in the Perth suburb of Subiaco on Friday nextfollowed by a benefit at the Irish Club.

Liz O’Hagan, vice president of Perth-based Irish welfare group the Claddagh Association, said the deaths of Mr McDermott and Mr Bradley in particular have affected the community.

“There is a large number of Irish people in Western Australia who are in some way affiliated with the construction industry, so it is really affecting them that such a tragedy could happen. The feeling among Irish people in Perth at the moment is something I’ve never previously felt,” she said.

“It has struck a chord with Irish people young and old all over Australia. People are contacting us wanting to know how they could help. It’s about looking after our fellow Irish men or women and standing beside them, because Australia is so far away from home.”

Ms O’Hagan said the sheer number of deaths has stretched the association’s resources. “We’re dealing with so many different families at the moment. We’re just a group of volunteers trying to manage it. We’ve had nine bereavements in three weeks. It is a horrible,horrible time.

“We’re a very small committee of people. There are only four of us that work with the families and we all have full time jobs, so we just do this in our spare time. We are pleased we can be here for the families; that’s what we do. We’re here to support people,” she said.

Ms O’Hagan is grateful for the assistance provided by an organisation that helps repatriate the bodies of Irish people who die abroad. “Without Colin Bell and his team at the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust we would not be able to do what we’re doing,” she said.“They have assisted us with the repatriation of the various individuals back home to Ireland and they continue to assist us this week.”