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Extra.ie
12 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Remembering the Berkeley balcony tragedy: 10 years on
Today marks 10 years since the devastating balcony collapse in Berkeley, California, that claimed the lives of six young people and left many others seriously injured. On June 16, 2015, shortly after midnight, a number of Irish J-1 visa students – Lorcán Miller, Eimear Walsh, Niccolai Schuster, Eoghan Culligan, and cousins Olivia Burke and Ashley Donohoe – were celebrating a 21st birthday party when the fifth-floor balcony they were standing on suddenly gave way. The tragedy shocked communities on both sides of the Atlantic. (Top row – left to right) Eoghan Culligan, Olivia Burke and Niccolai Schuster (Bottom row – left to right) Ashley Donohoe, Lorcan Miller and Eimear Walsh. Among the injured was Aoife Beary, from Blackrock in South Dublin, who survived the collapse but tragically passed away in 2022 at the age of 27 due to complications related to her injuries. Aoife dedicated herself to campaigning for stricter building safety laws in California, pushing for greater transparency from construction companies about their safety records and legal claims. Her courage and advocacy have left a lasting legacy in the fight for safer housing. Aoife once told California legislators that the friends lost that night had travelled the world together and were excited to spend their summer in California. They were celebrating her birthday when the tragedy struck. 'Now my birthday will always be their anniversary,' she said poignantly. Aoife Beary. The incident prompted a criminal investigation by Alameda County's district attorney and raised serious questions about building regulations, as the company responsible for the balcony had a history of legal claims that were not disclosed to state regulators. The memories of Lorcán, Eimear, Niccolai, Eoghan, Olivia, Ashley and Aoife stand as a solemn reminder of lives tragically cut short. This anniversary highlights the critical need for robust building safety standards, recognises the strength of those affected, and reinforces the ongoing duty to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.
BreakingNews.ie
12 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
10-year anniversary of Irish students killed in Berkeley balcony collapse
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.
