MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE IN CHRISTCHURCH, NZ

[johnneycool]

2FM were reporting two Irish dead confirmed this morning.

[Tubberman]

2FM were reporting two Irish dead confirmed this morning.

1 Irishman living in NZ for approx 6 years
The other was a British man married to an Irish woman, that's how he had an Irish passport.

I'm not certain but I think Morning Ireland may have mentioned that the Irish man was from Monaghan, but I can't be sure on that.

[Joxer]

From RTE:

The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that two Irish people were among those who died in yesterday's New Zealand earthquake.

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The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that two Irish people were among those who died in yesterday's New Zealand earthquake.

One of the men has been named as Owen McKenna, in his mid-40s, from County Monaghan.

He was married to a New Zealand woman and had been living there for several years.

The other man is understood to have been married to an Irish woman and it is reported that he may originally have been from Northern Ireland.

He had also been living in New Zealand for some time.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has not been able to contact nine Irish people and has what it describes as 'strong concerns' for two of them.

Rescue workers are working to try to find survivors from the 6.3 magnitude earthquake that caused severe damage to the city of Christchurch.

The authorities say at least 75 people have died and about 300 are still missing.

There are approximately 200 Irish people registered in Christchurch.

A woman, Anne Bodkin, was pulled alive from the wreckage of an office block overnight more than 25 hours after the quake.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key today vowed to rebuild Christchurch, telling its residents the quake-hit city would rise again despite suffering a 'ruthless act of nature'.

'Today all New Zealanders grieve for you, Christchurch,' he said.

'On behalf of New Zealand let me say to all of you: we feel your pain, as only a small nation can, for none of us feel removed from this event.'

[mick999]

Looks like he was a gaa fan as well:

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2010/0829/gaa_championship_29_august_live_text.html

"Listening in from Christchurch New Zealand, working the night shift at Christchurch Hospital.

Owen Mc Kenna"

RIP ..

[omagh_gael]

Looks like he was a gaa fan as well:

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2010/0829/gaa_championship_29_august_live_text.html

"Listening in from Christchurch New Zealand, working the night shift at Christchurch Hospital.

Owen Mc Kenna"

RIP ..

Very very sad, RIP Owen.

According to reports on BBC the second person believed to have been killed is a man from N Ireland married to a girl from the south. They are also extremely worried about a further 2 Irish people and a number of others still unaccounted for. Hopefully they are found safe and well.

[JimStynes]

I'd say there would be quite a few irish caught up in this. I stayed in the YHA hostel in Nov 09 and it was full of Irish backpackers. I couldnt even imagine what the families of those caught up in this are going through.

[The Subbie]

Looks like he was a gaa fan as well:

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2010/0829/gaa_championship_29_august_live_text.html

"Listening in from Christchurch New Zealand, working the night shift at Christchurch Hospital.

Yes, Eoin would have been a Truagh geals clubman in his day. I played with and against his brother many times for school & club,I can only imagine what the family both at home & in NZ are going through.
RIP.
Owen Mc Kenna"

RIP ..

Very very sad, RIP Owen.

According to reports on BBC the second person believed to have been killed is a man from N Ireland married to a girl from the south. They are also extremely worried about a further 2 Irish people and a number of others still unaccounted for. Hopefully they are found safe and well.