MULTI-COLOURED BALLOONS released against a Burren backdrop marked the third anniversary in Galway last night of the death of Swiss teenager Manuela Riedo.
Young students from five Galway schools released the 120 balloons on Salthill promenade to the strains of a lone piper.
Special guests were Ms Riedo’s parents, Hans Peter and Arlette, and several teachers from her own school in Freiburg, all of whom then attended a concert last night to raise funds for the Galway Rape Crisis Centre.
The 17-year-old student had only recently arrived in the city to learn English in early October 2007 when she was assaulted and killed. Gerald Barry (30) of Mervue, Galway, is serving three life sentences for her rape and murder.
Ms Riedo would have been 21 next month, and her parents decided to travel to Ireland from Hinterkappelen near Basle in Switzerland to mark her anniversary. On the day of their only child’s funeral back home three years ago, balloons symbolised the release of her spirit.
Her parents said they had a “long way to go”, and acknowledged that the last three years had been very difficult. “But it is getting a little bit better,” Mr Riedo said.
“It is very important to come back to Galway,” he said. “Manuela was an angel. She always had a smile and she was the centre of our lives.”
Musicians Mairtín O’Connor, Sharon Shannon, Mary Coughlan, the Mulkerrin Brothers and Lucia Evans were among performers at last night’s second annual concert to raise funds for the rape crisis centre. Last year, almost €50,000 was raised at the first such event, organised by Shane Lennon. Money raised from the concert this year will be used to provide support group and counselling services to teenagers who have suffered a recent assault in Galway city and county.
Ms Riedo’s former English teacher, Kimberley Kramer, said that returning to Galway was “extremely important” and she looked forward to “celebrating Manuela’s life and not the anniversary of her death with the dear people of a city I love”.
