A SPECIAL fund has been set up in Roscommon to help fund the repatriation of the body of a young Brazilian woman who was fatally stabbed in the town last week.
Kezia Gomes Rosa, one of the 300-strong Brazilian community in Roscommon, had been living there for 18 months at the time of her death.
Roscommon-based priest Fr Jim Heneghan, who is chaplain to the Brazilian community in the diocese of Elphin, said there was a great sense of solidarity in the community, with local people anxious to help Kezia's family.
She is survived by a six-year-old daughter who lives in Brazil.
Dozens of people attended an open-air prayer service in memory of the young woman at the Square in Roscommon town on Tuesday night.
The public will have an opportunity to pay their respects at a ceremony in Smyth's funeral home Roscommon on Saturday afternoon.
Catia da Nova, a prominent member of the Brazilian community in Roscommon, said it had been estimated that it would cost €10,000 to send the body home.
She said there had already been a very generous response to collections in local supermarkets and businesses and to the special fund at the AIB in Roscommon and it was hoped that they would be in a position to send Kezia's remains home to her family next week.
Ms da Nova, who has been in touch with Kezia's family in Brazil, said they were devastated. "It is very hard for them being so far away."
She said that Kezia had worked hard at a number of different jobs in order to send money home to her family.
Fr Heneghan said it was important to stress that this was a "once off" incident which would not affect the good relations between local people and members of the Brazilian community who started arriving in Roscommon over 10 years ago to work in the local Kepak meat plant in Athleague.
The Kezia Gomes Rosa Fund is held at the AIB Roscommon branch, account no 09081060, sort code 937142.
A Brazilian man, Amilton Leonel De Olivera (36), has been charged with the unlawful killing of Kezia Gomes Rosa and has been remanded in custody to appear at Harristown Court Castlerea, Co Roscommon, tomorrow.
