Nearly $400,000 has been raised for the victims and families of the students killed and injured in Berkeley, CA last month.
The Irish J-1 Berkeley Tragedy Fund was was created by the Irish Immigration Pastoral Centre in San Francisco following the tragedy that killed six students.
The American Ireland Fund made a donation of $100,000 for "urgent funds" shortly after the release of the the names of those who had been killed at the 21st birthday party, the Irish Independent reports.
Irish students Eimear Walsh, Lorcan Miller, Eoghan Culligan, Niccolai Schuster, Olivia Burke and Irish-American Ashley Donohoe were killed June 16 when the fourth-story balcony of the Library Gardens building collapsed in the early hours of the morning. Seven other students were injured, and five are still being treated.
A group of Dublin-based students have organized a fundraising concert in the Academy music venue to raise cash for the survivors of the tragedy. Irish singer-songwriter Mundy will headline the event, which will also feature Irish bands Jape, The Fontaines and the Dublin Gospel Choir.
Organizer Thomas Kenny is a close friend of Clodagh Cogley, one of the students who survived the accident and is currently undergoing rehabilitation.
He said: “The weekend after it happened we were all sitting together and we felt like we had to do something to help our friends who were half the world away.”
"A friend suggested a fundraising gig and the idea snowballed from there."
He said: “It's been a lot easier to cope in a group than by ourselves. We were all going through the same thing and there is a real sense of solidarity.”
All the money raised from the concert will go towards rehabilitation treatment and the modification of the students' homes.
"Once the money is raised we will talk to families and see what way they want to spend it, whether they need something for their home or need to pay for physiotherapy," he said.
Kenny, a DIT student from Dundrum, says he remains in contact with Clodagh.
"She is doing really well and she has a pretty amazing outlook on the whole situation considering what happened," he said. "The plan is to get her home in the next couple of weeks.
"It will obviously be an emotional homecoming, but I can't wait to see her."
The organizers are hoping to raise €40,000 from ticket sales and raffles on the night.
"We know all the students and their families are really grateful and appreciative. Hopefully it will make their move back home a little bit easier."
The fundraiser will be hosted by television and radio presenter Nicky Byrne. The event will be held on Thursday night at The Academy, with doors opening at 7.30pm.
Tickets for the event cost €25 and can be bought online from www.ticketmaster.ie.
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