A fundraiser for the family of Irish expat Serena Downey raised A$105,300 from more than 1,100 donors in less than 24 hours, according to PerthNow’s report published on 23 October 2025. It was set up after her sudden death to help with the costs of bringing her personal belongings home and repatriating her to Ireland.
Who was Serena Downey?
Downey was an Irish woman from Listowel, County Kerry, who worked as a fly-in, fly-out plant operator in Western Australia. PerthNow reported that she had lived in WA for six years and worked at a site in the Mid West. Radio Kerry described her as 29 and said she had lived in WA for more than five years; PerthNow reported her age as 28. Evoke later reported that she died on 20 October 2025. The reports do not agree on her age or give precisely the same length of time she had lived in Australia.
Her family and friends announced her death in a statement reproduced by PerthNow: “It is with heavy hearts that the family and friends of Serena announce her tragic passing.” The statement described her as a beloved daughter and friend. The reports cited here did not establish the cause of her death.
How much did Serena Downey’s fundraiser raise overnight?
PerthNow reported that the campaign had raised A$105,300 from more than 1,100 donors in less than 24 hours. In a later Thursday-morning snapshot in the same 23 October report, the total was A$129,720 from more than 1,400 donors. These are figures reported at those times, not a current or final campaign total.
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Other publications reported totals at different times and in different currencies, so they should not be treated as one directly comparable running tally:
| Publication and date | Reported fundraiser snapshot |
|---|---|
| PerthNow, 23 October 2025 | A$105,300 from more than 1,100 donors in less than 24 hours; later Thursday-morning snapshot: A$129,720 from more than 1,400 donors. |
| Radio Kerry, 23 October 2025 | More than €75,000, reported as A$134,000, toward an A$160,000 goal. |
| Evoke, 10 November 2025 | Nearly €85,000, reported as A$148,530, from more than 1,600 donations. |
The reports use different timestamps and currencies, and the euro-to-Australian-dollar equivalents are those given by the publications. The November figure is a later historical snapshot; it does not establish the campaign’s final total or its current status.
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Why was money being raised?
The fundraiser was intended to ease costs for Downey’s family after her death, including repatriation and returning her personal belongings. PerthNow quoted the organiser saying: “Our aim is to relieve some of the financial burden on Serena’s family and to assist with the cost of having her personal belongings brought home,”
Radio Kerry reported that Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs was providing consular assistance. A department spokesperson said it was aware of the case but did not comment on individual cases.
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What did reports say about bringing Serena home?
In its 10 November follow-up, Evoke reported that the family planned to hold a funeral service in Perth before bringing Downey home to Kerry. That coverage describes the family’s plan at the time; it does not verify that the service or repatriation was subsequently completed.
PerthNow also quoted a member of an Irish support group addressing expatriates in Western Australia: “We are all in the same boat, starting from scratch away from our families, homesick, lost in direction — if anyone out there is struggling, please reach out to your friends.”
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