Americans visiting and living in Ireland were offered counselling, e-mail and telephone services in a gesture organised by Dublin businesses yesterday.
The St Stephen's Green Centre was closed to the public but became for the day an "assistance and solidarity" centre with books of condolences opened and access to counsellors from the Victim Support organisation.
The initiative was organised by the Dublin City Centre Business Association. Its chairman, Mr Shaun Rippington, estimated that around 500 US visitors would take advantage of the service between noon and 6 p.m. yesterday.
Ms Ann Meade of Victim Support, which had around 10 volunteers to give counselling, said her organisation had been asked to co-ordinate the many offers of accommodation that had come in to the US embassy from Irish people.
Some 40 individuals or families had contacted the embassy to offer beds to US citizens who found themselves with nowhere to stay because of flight restrictions.
"We have mixed with people today and taken care of very distressed people and allowed them to talk about their feelings," Ms Meade said.
People were in some cases speaking to children in the US who were "scared and upset" because their parents could not get home.
Ms Lisa O'Neill, co-ordinator of Tourist Victim Support, said a telephone help service would continue over the weekend. The number is 01-4785295.
Ms Judi Ankiewicz from Tampa, Florida, was waiting to use the e-mail facility. She was with a group from Chicago on a pilgrimage. Irish people had been very good to them. "If I have to be stranded somewhere, then it's here. The people are so wonderful and have shown us such love and care."
Many of the Americans who visited the centre yesterday wept as the Dublin Fire Brigade pipe band played The Dawning of the Day, The Minstrel Boy and Let Erin Remember. The firefighters too are still waiting for news of friends in the New York firefighters' pipe band.