Dublin GAA fans plan tribute after Berkeley and Harris tragedies

We think it’s a lovely idea.

Dublin GAA fans the Hill 16 Army are planning a moving tribute to the victims the Berkeley tragedy and brothers Alan and Steve Harris.

The group are hoping the entire crowd at Sunday’s Leinster Football semi-final between Dublin and Kildare will rise to their feet in the 16th minute, for a minute’s applause for the victims of both tragedies.

Dublin supporters Alan and Steve Harris, who are cousins of Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane, died earlier this month after they were

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The Hill 16 Army had originally planned the tribute for the Harris brothers until the heartbreaking events last week in Berkeley, California that saw six Irish students die in a

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Irish students Eoghan Culligan, Niccolai Schuster, Lorcan Miller, Eimear Walsh, Olivia Burke and Ashley Donohoe were killed last Tuesday after a balcony they were standing on collapsed while they were attending a 21st birthday party.

Last week the GAA marked the passing of the Berkeley victims by holding a minute's silence before all inter-county games.

Dave Sherlock from the Hill 16 Army told breakingnews.ie that the minute’s applause would be a “perfect tribute” to those that have lost their lives.

“We originally wanted to do something for Alan and Stephen Harris and two of our page followers Rachel Molly and Paul Corrigan suggested the minute's applause,” said Dave.

Steve Harris

“We thought it was a perfect tribute to two true blues, as we try to use the page for good things as well, and we decided to put it out there. Barry Fennell (who runs the page with Dave) wrote some fantastic words along with the picture to help promote it and the response has been phenomenal.

“Then the tragic events of Berkeley happened with the six students and we decided it would be fitting to do it for them also.

“The response from the Dublin fans and the GAA community has been unbelievable,” Dave added.

Alan Harris

The group say they’ve been in touch will Kildare GAA - their opponents on the day - and the Lilywhites were “only too happy” to be involved in what is thought to be one of the first times such a tribute will happen mid-match in a GAA game.

The Hill 16 Army is hoping that word of the planned tribute will spread via social media so that the entire crowd at Sunday’s game will know what is going on when it happens, and join in.

Best of luck to all involved.