A PLAQUE in memory of the six students who died in the 2015 Berkeley balcony collapse has been unveiled at a special ceremony.
The tragedy claimed the lives of Irish J-1 students Eoghan Culligan, Lorcán Miller, Niccolai Schuster, Eimear Walsh, and Olivia Burke, all 21, and Olivia’s Irish-American cousin Ashley Donohoe, 22.
Clockwise from top left: Eoghan Culligan, Eimear Walsh, Ashley Donohoe, Niccolai Schuster, Olivia Burke and Lorcán MillerThe plaque was unveiled on Saturday by Dan Mulhall, Irish Ambassador to the United States and former Ambassador to Britain.
“The Berkeley balcony collapse of June 2015 was a terrible tragedy and one which had an enormous effect on Ireland,” said the ambassador.
Honoured to be part of plaque unveiling for the Berkeley balcony collapse victims. The continued solidarity of this community is inspiring pic.twitter.com/ew0vkXDVEJ
— Irish Consulate W US (@IrelandSanFran) 21 July 2018
“The depth of grief, shock and sorrow was immense – six young lives so tragically and prematurely ended and serious injury inflicted on so many.
“I would like to pay tribute to the first responders, medical staff and our wonderful Irish community who provided such fulsome support for everyone affected, especially the young people and the families directly involved.”
It was a very moving ceremony at #Berkeley this morning as family, the Irish community & local people paid tribute to the memory of the six students who tragically lost their lives because of a balcony collapse in June 2015. https://t.co/4R0lp2mkAv
— Daniel Mulhall (@DanMulhall) 22 July 2018
Located at the southwest corner of the Martin Luther King Jr Civic Park, the plaque reads in part: “Here, the families of those who passed and the community of Berkeley have joined hands to establish a permanent memorial.”
The plaque is just a two-minute walk from where the tragedy occurred on Kittredge Street in Berkeley on June 16, 2015.
The ceremony was attended by members of the victims’ families and members of the Irish community in Berkeley.
Honoured to be part of plaque unveiling for the Berkeley balcony collapse victims. The continued solidarity of this community is inspiring pic.twitter.com/ew0vkXDVEJ
— Irish Consulate W US (@IrelandSanFran) 21 July 2018
