Irish people living in Vancouver, Canada have been urged to give blood after a car-ramming attack left 11 people dead at a Filipino street party.
President of the Irish Women's Network of British Columbia Eilis Courtney has encouraged Irish people living in the city to help with blood donations after the "senseless tragedy".
"The whole community in the city is saddened and in shock this morning and wanting to just reach out and offer help in any way we can," she said.
The Dublin woman recently launched a team to encourage younger Irish people in Vancouver to give blood.
A ban on blood donations from people who lived or travelled in Ireland for long periods of time in the 80s and 90s, over concerns about the transmission of "mad cow disease", was only lifted two years ago, she explained.
"With a tragedy like last night, it’s even more imperative that we get out and support," Ms Courtney added.
She said it was an "easy way to help and support" the Filipino community in the coming days.
"I know over the next couple of days, we will all find other ways to support the Filipino community," Ms Courtney said.
"There is lots of chatter on social media about what we can do.
"This is one way that I feel like I can support and it’s a timely situation. It’s more urgent that we get out and donate."
'These things don't happen in Vancouver," says young Irish woman
Meanwhile, an Irish woman living in Vancouver described a "strange mood" in the city this morning.
"Everybody is saying how devastating it is, how shocked we are," said 26-year-old Jean Dwyer.
"We would consider Vancouver to be a very safe place. These things don’t happen in Vancouver."
However, the Wexford woman said that people are determined to continue with some sense of normality with thousands gathered for a 'Sun Run' in the city, which garnered a heavier than normal police presence.
Organisers said that the run would continue as planned and invited attendees to join in "reflecting the unity, compassion and strength that define Metro Vancouver and the global Filipino community".
"In the Vancouver fashion, everyone is still out on the streets today," she said.
"Everyone is very upset today. I know there was a minute’s silence before that run started."
Ms Dwyer was at a bar near where the incident happened in the city's Sunset on Fraser neighbourhood last night.
Although she had heard sirens, it was a text message from her father that alerted her to what had happened.
"The news for me came from Ireland," she said.
"He was asking if I was safe. We just got ourselves home as quickly as possible back to our apartment," she added.
Ms Dwyer said she had originally planned to attend the Lapu Lapu Day celebrations.
"Usually, we would attend things like this - street parties, festivals, different cultures.
"We love attending them. The only reason we weren’t at that festival last night was because we had a going away party for our friends.
"Otherwise, we would have been there."
She added that Irish people were standing in solidarity with the Filipino community in Vancouver after the incident.
"We are praying that nothing like this happens again," added Ms Dwyer.
