The brother of a 38-year-old Indian woman who died in Cork last month has said he is "deeply humbled" by an outpouring of support from the local community.
Deepa Dinamani's body was found at her home in Cardinal Court in Wilton, Cork city, at around 10pm on Friday, July 14th. A man has since been charged with her murder.
Ms Dinamani, who was originally from Kerala in Southern India, had moved to Cork to April to begin work as a senior funds manager at Alter Domus.
Ullas Dinamani, Ms Dinamani's only sibling, said the funds raised have facilitated the repatriation of the mother of one back to her native India for a memorial service next week.
Approximately €25,000 was raised on an iDonate page to pay for the transportation of Ms Dinamani's remains.
The fund was also set up to assist with the in costs associated with Mr Dinamani travelling to Ireland and bringing his sister's five-year-old son to India to be with his grandparents.
A service for the chartered accountant will take place on Friday in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, India.
Mr Dinamani thanked the community in Cork from "the bottom of his heart" for what had been done for his family after his sister was found dead on July 14th at her home in Cardinal Court in Wilton.
It is because of the hard work of many of you that I will be able to take my deceased sister and her son back to India
"Thank you to all of you for having us in your prayers. I am so grateful and I will never ever forget how the community joined hands and assisted a person from India in this difficult situation.
"It is because of the hard work of many of you that I will be able to take my deceased sister and her son back to India where he will be able to perform the last rites of his mother," Mr Dinamani said.
"Life is very short and unpredictable. Deepa left us too soon. To wave her goodbye for the last time, the family is arranging a memorial service in her loving memory," he added.
Mr Dinamani said he is particularly grateful to Cork TDs Mick Barry and Michael Creed, the Embassy of India in Dublin, Tusla officials, solicitors in Cork, as well as his sister's employers and friends. He also thanked the funeral director and mortician, and the manager of Bank of Ireland in University College Cork who assisted him with the fundraising account.
Mr Dinamani said his family were comforted by the actions of the Indian community in Cork, who held a candle-lit vigil in the wake of his sister's death. He also praised the Rosa group, which also commemorated Ms Dinamani's death.
"I would also like to thank the action group who encouraged me and gave me a sense of confidence to overcome this tough journey. They worked voluntarily and did a humongous task from the very start of liaising with all the authorities on behalf of my family in India."
Cork Pravasi Malayali, the World Malayalee Council Cork, Coinns Cork (Cork Indian Nurses), and members of the Cork Indian Community Facebook group and Irish Malayalee group were among those who fundraised to pay for Mr Dinamani's repatriation, and to cover the cost of reuniting her son with his grandparent's in India.
