logo
10-year anniversary of Irish students killed in Berkeley balcony collapse

10-year anniversary of Irish students killed in Berkeley balcony collapse

BreakingNews.ie16-06-2025
A memorial plaque with the words, 'They lived and laughed and loved and left,' marks the site close to where six Irish students lost their lives 10 years ago today in Berkeley, California.
All but one of those who died were J-1 students in the US working for the summer in 2015 and they were Lorcán Miller, Eimear Walsh, Niccolai Schuster, Eoghan Culligan, and cousins Olivia Burke and Ashley Donohoe who was Irish American.
Advertisement
All who died in the collapse were aged 20 and 23.
Aoife Beary, 27, who survived the Berkeley balcony collapse tragedy which claimed the lives of her six friends in the US passed away on New Year's Day, 2022 at Beaumont Hospital after suffering a stroke.
She became the seventh victim to die as a result of injuries suffered in the Library Gardens Balcony Collapse.
Ms Beary and six other students suffered life-changing injuries as a result of the incident which occurred while they were celebrating Ms Beary's 21st birthday on the balcony as they lined up to give her kisses.
Advertisement
Clodagh Cogley, Sean Fahey, Conor Flynn, Jack Halpin, Niall Murray and Hannah Waters were all injured - some seriously in the balcony collapse.
Despite her multiple injuries, Ms Beary campaigned alongside Amanda Donhoe's family to force building companies to release public safety records and report any work-related crimes or settlements to California's building regulator.
Ireland
Tánaiste says 'world on brink of extraordinary des...
Read More
She testified before the California state legislature in 2016 saying: 'Now my birthday will always be their anniversary,' she said.
At an emotional hearing in August 2016, Ms Beary told US politicians that,'Some of my injuries will be with me for the rest of my life'.
The US district attorney's office confirmed in 2016 that no criminal charges would be brought over the balcony collapse.
However, the families affected sued those involved in the construction and management of the building. They reached a partial settlement of €18 million in 2017.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Puerto Rico police charge a suspect in the recent killing of a US tourist
Puerto Rico police charge a suspect in the recent killing of a US tourist

The Independent

time11 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Puerto Rico police charge a suspect in the recent killing of a US tourist

A 37-year-old man with a criminal record turned himself into police on Friday and was charged in the recent killing of a U.S. tourist who had flown to Puerto Rico for Bad Bunny's residency. Kalel Jorell Martínez Bristol faces charges including first-degree murder, according to a statement from Puerto Rico's Justice Department. Police have said the 25-year-old victim, Kevin Mares of New York, was an innocent bystander when he was struck by a bullet early Sunday while at a nightspot with friends in the seaside community of La Perla. Authorities accused Martínez of pulling out a gun and firing it while arguing with people near Mares. Two people, a brother and a sister who live in La Perla, were injured. Defense attorney Pedro Rivera told reporters that he was 'very surprised' authorities didn't file attempted murder charges, saying that casts doubt over the entire case. Martínez Bristol is being held on an $800,000 bond. The community of La Perla is located on the outskirts of Old San Juan and once served as Puerto Rico's biggest distribution point for heroin. It became popular with tourists after Puerto Rican singers Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featured the community in their hit, 'Despacito.' But isolated violence persists. In February 2023, three tourists were stabbed after police said a person told them to stop filming inside the community. Then in April 2024, a 24-year-old tourist from Delaware was killed and his body set on fire after police said he and a friend were attacked following a drug purchase. Police said the victims were trying to take pictures of La Perla after being warned not to do so.

Michigan to appeal fine, NCAA penalties in sign-stealing scheme
Michigan to appeal fine, NCAA penalties in sign-stealing scheme

Reuters

time18 minutes ago

  • Reuters

Michigan to appeal fine, NCAA penalties in sign-stealing scheme

August 15 - Michigan plans to appeal NCAA punishment levied following the investigation into the program's advance scouting scheme during the 2021-23 seasons. "In a number of instances the decision makes fundamental errors in interpreting NCAA bylaws; and it includes a number of conclusions that are directly contrary to the evidence -- or lack of evidence -- in the record," Michigan said Friday afternoon in response to the NCAA findings and penalties announced earlier in the day. In releasing its findings publicly on Friday, the NCAA said that "over the course of three seasons, the Michigan football program committed violations involving an off-campus, in-person scouting scheme, impermissible recruiting inducements and communications, head coach responsibility rules, individuals' failures to cooperate and Michigan's failure to monitor, according to a decision released by a Division I Committee on Infractions panel. "The scouting violations orchestrated by former football staff member Connor Stalions were corroborated by interview testimonies, ticket receipts and transfer data and other evidence. Those violations, along with former head football coach Jim Harbaugh's head coach responsibility violation and most of the failure to cooperate violations, are Level I. The recruiting violations, then-assistant football coach (and current head football coach) Sherrone Moore's failure to cooperate violation and Michigan's failure to monitor violation, are Level II." Among the consequences for Michigan's purported sign-stealing scheme are a loss of postseason football revenue for the next two seasons and a fine expected to approach $20 million-$25 million given past Big Ten revenues. The exact amount depends, in part, on the postseason success of the conference. The program was placed on four years' probation and will see a 25 percent reduction in football official visits in the upcoming season. Michigan also will pay a fine of $50,000, plus 10 percent of the budget for the football program, and forfeit 10 percent of the cost of the scholarships for Michigan football players in the 2025-26 academic year. Michigan was not banned from appearing in postseason games and no wins were vacated, including from its undefeated national championship season in 2023. The Division I Committee on Infractions panel also suspended head coach Sherrone Moore one game, to be added to Michigan's self-imposed two-game ban to be served in 2025. Moore will serve the additional game punishment in the 2026 season opener. Moore, however, is not prohibited from engaging in coaching or other activities during the two-year show-cause period. "It is never our intent to be in a position where we are accused of any rules violations," Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement. "I fully support Coach Sherrone Moore, our student-athletes and staff as they prepare for the season ahead. I appreciate Coach Moore's continued commitment to ensuring his program operates in compliance with applicable rules. I acknowledge the Committee on Infractions' decision to not penalize our current student-athletes by eliminating postseason opportunities; however, a postseason ban should never have been a consideration in this case. I fully support the university's decision to pursue an appeal." "I am glad that this part of the process has been completed," Moore said in a statement. "I greatly respect the rules governing collegiate athletics and it is my intent to have our program comply with those rules at all times. I will continue to focus my attention on our team and the upcoming 2025 season." Former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, now the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, received a 10-year show-cause penalty and then-Wolverines staffer Connor Stalions was handed an eight-year show-cause penalty. "Following Oct. 19, 2023, media reports of Stalions' scheme, Moore deleted his entire 52-message text thread with Stalions off his personal phone," the NCAA investigative report said. "The following day, Moore deleted from his school-issued phone a single text that was part of a broader thread that referenced Stalions standing by Moore during a game. When questioned by the enforcement staff, Moore initially blamed the deleted messages on storage space, although he eventually admitted to deleting them as a reaction to the news. Harbaugh failed to cooperate by refusing to provide necessary records or participating in an interview with the enforcement staff." A show-cause penalty acts as a barrier to college coaching in the future. It likely will have no impact on the career of Harbaugh, 61, who signed a reported five-year, $80 million contract with the Chargers when he was hired Jan. 24, 2024. Harbaugh's penalty will begin on Aug. 7, 2028, at the conclusion of his four-year show-cause order from a previous case. Moore was the offensive coordinator in 2023 and reportedly deleted a thread of more than 50 text messages with Stalions, which the NCAA said demonstrated a failure to cooperate with the investigation. The scandal unfolded following Michigan's run to the 2023 College Football Playoff title. During that season, Stalions was accused of operating a sign-stealing scheme by having friends and family attend the games of future opponents and videotape sideline signals. The NCAA cited Michigan for 11 violations in an August 2024 notice of allegations, including six Level I (the most serious) violations. The school and the NCAA had been working on a final resolution of the matter. The NCAA Committee on Infractions held a hearing on the case in June. Moore guided the Wolverines to an 8-5 record (5-4 Big Ten) last season, ending with a 19-13 win against Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Dec. 31. Harbaugh led the Chargers to an 11-6 record and a playoff berth last season. They lost 32-12 to the Houston Texans in the wild-card round. No. 14 Michigan opens the season at home against New Mexico on Aug. 30. --Field Level Media

R&B artist Sean Kingston sentenced to three and a half years in prison
R&B artist Sean Kingston sentenced to three and a half years in prison

The Independent

time41 minutes ago

  • The Independent

R&B artist Sean Kingston sentenced to three and a half years in prison

Rapper Sean Kingston has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for his involvement in a fraud scheme. His mother, Janice Turner, received a five-year prison sentence for her role in the same scheme. Kingston, whose real name is Kisean Anderson, and Turner were convicted in March of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They were found guilty of using fraudulent documents to obtain over $1 million worth of luxury cars, jewellery, and other lavish goods. The scheme involved promising social media promotion to sellers, then sending fake wire receipts for high-end merchandise like a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade and watches.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store