Kodaline to pay special tribute to Kilkenny teenager at their concert this Saturday

Pop band, Kodaline will pay tribute to a very special Kilkenny teenager at their concert this Saturday at St Anne's Park in Raheny in Dublin.

Ciara Lawlor (17),  died suddenly during a Kodaline concert from a heart condition in July 2016. The band performed at her funeral and have dedicated a song, Angel, in her memory.

Ciara's parents John and Eimear and her brothers Jack and Barry have been invited to the upcoming concert and are hoping to attend.
"It will be very poignant and hugely emotional for me but it will be very special as well,” said Ciara's Mum, Eimear.

"One of the band members, Mark Prendergast texted me while they were touring in Korea to invite us to the gig in St Annes on June 1. He said they were going to sing Angel and say a few words. Mark asked for videos and I think they plan to do a 30-second video. It is truly amazing, especially as we never knew the guys before, and coming to the funeral and writing the song were amazing gestures alone, but to remember her in front of 15,000 people is a such a tribute to our daughter. People move on with their lives, but to lose a child is something that will never leave a person, and to have Ciara remembered like this is something we will be ever grateful to the band," added Eimear.  
An investigation into the care of Ciara Lawlor at Crumlin Children's Hospital has taken place and an inquest into her death is due to place later this year.

Meanwhile a group of kind-hearted students have fundraised for the Ciara Memorial Fund and the monies will be donated to CRY, Cardiac Risk in the Young. The charity supports families affected by sudden death through counselling and screening family members for sudden death.
Seven Transition Year students at Waterpark College in Waterford took part in "Build a Bank”, a nationwide challenge by the A.I.B.

The challenge was to raise awareness of the lack of cardiac services in the south east.