Fund raises over €85,000 to bring Galway man home from Australia

THE funeral of a Galway man who died suddenly in Australia will take place on Saturday in his father's home town of Balla.

Kevin Ruane from Ballybrit in Galway who died suddenly in Perth, Australia at the start of August was the son of John and Kathleen, who are from Balla and Achill respectively.

A Go Fund Me campaign was launched to help bring Kevin home and in just three weeks it has raised just under €85,000 with donations made by over 1,000 people.

The aim of the fund was to to relieve some of the financial burden on Kevin’s family and to assist with the cost of having his personal belongings brought home. Additional funds raised will be donated to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust and the Claddagh Association.

The funeral arrangements have been announced and will see Kevin repose in the Holy Family Funeral Parlour, Mervue, Galway on Friday, August 30 from 3pm with removal at 4.30pm to the Balla Funeral Home. He will repose at the Balla Funeral Home on Friday evening from 7pm with removal at 8.30pm to St Cronan's Church, Balla. His Funeral Mass will take place on Saturday at 12 noon with burial afterwards in the New Cemetery.

Kevin is survived by his parents John and Kathleen; his sister, Aisling; girlfriend, Lauren and grandparents, Maura Ruane and John O'Donnell and is predeceased by his brother Adrian, his grandad Gerald Ruane (Balla) and grandmother Catherine O’Donnell (Achill).