Irish community in Darwin will 'rally around' Castlebar woman after shooting
Eileen Gibbons is in a critical condition in hospital following a shooting in the Australian city of Darwin. File Picture: Wikimedia Commons
A local councillor has said the Castlebar community will provide every support to Irish woman Eileen Gibbons, who is in a critical condition in hospital following a shooting in the Australian city of Darwin.
Ms Gibbons, 38, a Castlebar native and mother of one, sustained serious abdominal injuries in the shooting, which happened at a premises on Sprigg Street in the Darwin suburb of Millner earlier this week.
The shooter is believed to have been her ex-partner, 35-year-old Ralph Donald.
After shooting Ms Gibbons, Mr Donald is believed to have turned the gun on himself. He was pronounced dead after armed Northern Territory Police officers arrived at the premises at around 6.30pm on Tuesday evening.
Ms Gibbons was rushed to Royal Darwin Hospital for emergency surgery. Her current condition is described as serious but stable.
Local Fianna Fáil councillor Martin McLoughlin said the community in Castlebar was “devastated, shocked and numbed" by the incident.
He said a number of people from Castlebar had emigrated to Darwin in recent years. It is understood that Ms Gibbons relocated to Darwin seven years ago.
Mr Martin told RTÉ Radio's that members of her family were on their way to the capital of Australia's Northern Territory to be by her side.
He also said that members of the Castlebar and wider Irish community in the city would "rally around" Ms Gibbons and her family.
"There are a lot of young people her age living in Darwin and I think that's good for her and I know that they would rally around," he said. "She has great friends who will be there at this awful time in her life.”
Cllr Martin added it was encouraging to know that Eileen and her family would have such support, and that they remained in the thoughts of the community back in Castlebar.
