TRIBUTES ARE BEING paid both home and abroad to the two Irish men who died when they were working at an apartment in Perth, Australia.
The men have been named as Joseph McDermott from Omagh and Gerard Bradley from Portstewart. Both men were in their 20s and it’s understood McDermott had only been in Australia for a number of weeks.
The West Australian reports that the two men were crushed by a concrete panel as they were working at an apartment complex in East Perth. The paper says that the two men were reportedly having a cigarette break when the tragic incident occurred.
The men were working for Jaxon Construction on Bennett Street in the city and the company’s entire workforce today observed a minute’s silence for the two Irish citizens.
A wreath was also laid at the site today with Jaxon CEO David Dodds offering condolences to their families.
“We have contacted the men’s families to offer our deepest sympathies,” Dodds said.
These young men were treasured sons, brothers, loved-ones and their loss is being deeply felt. The Irish community in Perth is also mourning the loss of these young men and our workforce shares their deep sense of shock and grief.
Speaking to BBC News, Sinn Féin councillor for Omagh Sorch McAnespy says that she knew McDermott personally and that the “sense of grief in the town is palpable”:
A young fella taken down in the prime of his life. He went out to Australia just a couple of weeks ago, just for I suppose an adventure, go to Australia make a few pound. He’s only away I mean a matter of weeks, five weeks I think it is tomorrow. The sense of grief in the town is absolutely palpable.
Others have being paying tribute to the pair on Facebook.
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