Cycle raises €50k for victims of Berkeley

UP to €50,000 has been raised as part of a major fundraising drive for the seven students seriously injured in the Berkeley balcony collapse.

Hundreds of people took part in a 72-hour cycle in an effort to raise funds for spiralling health care costs.

The fundraising, which ended on Sunday at Dundrum Shopping Centre, involved family and friends of the injured along with members of the public, cycling 13 bikes continuously for 72 hours, in an attempt to collectively cover the distance of Dublin to Berkeley and back.

The 13 bikes represented the seven injured students and their six friends who died in the horrific accident. The event was organised by friends of Aoife Beary, who is one of students seriously injured in the June 16 accident. Ms Beary, who suffered a traumatic brain injury, was celebrating her 21st birthday party with friends when the balcony collapsed. She is due to return home from the Santa Clara Medical Centre in California at the end of this month.

Kevin Dunne, one of the event organisers, said so far the cycle has raised €50,000.

‘We are absolutely delighted with what the cycle raised. All the money will go towards the seven students who were injured. It was really nice to see over the three days how much people wanted to help and donate. The bulk of the money came in through sponsorship cards and most of those were donations of up to €600 which was absolutely amazing.

‘There has been an independent committee of advisers made up of medical, legal and financial experts who will determine how the money is best used to help those injured.’

Of the seven injured, four have returned home over the last several weeks, including Clodagh Cogley, Jack Halpin, Seán Fahey and Conor Flynn. It is hoped that Ms Beary, Hannah Waters and Niall Murray will return to Ireland by the end of this month.