A FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN has been set up to pay for the funeral of Ingrida Maciokaite.
The 31-year-old mother-of-two was stabbed to death in Dundalk, County Louth last week.
Ingrida is originally from Lithuania but had lived in Dundalk for about 12 years. She is survived by a six-year-old daughter and an 18-month-old son.
Edmundas Dauksa (48), who is also from Lithuania, has been charged with her murder. The funeral is due to take place tomorrow.
At the time of publication, more than €6,600 had been raised. Some €4,300 has been donated to a fundraiser set up by the Lithuanian community in Dundalk, while a further €2,300 has been donated via a GoFundMe page.
Egidijus Vaitkus, chairperson of the Dundalk Lithuanian Community group, said local people are “in deep shock” at Ingrida’s death.
He said she doesn’t have any relatives in Ireland so local people decided to raise money for the funeral, noting that individuals and businesses alike have been “very supportive”.
‘Heartbreaking’
Activist Eugene Garvey set up the GoFundMe page. He said people felt compelled to act after the “heartbreaking” series of events last week.
“The local community look after one another,” he said.
Garvey said Ingrida was “very friendly” and well liked. She recently began working in a local café, having previously worked in a deli.
He said Ingrida doesn’t have many close relatives but that they felt she should be buried in Ireland because her children will continue to live here and they “want the kids to be able to visit the grave”.
Ingrida built her home here, she had all her friends here.”
Garvey and Vaitkus both said that any surplus money raised will be spent on Ingrida’s two young children.
People who wish to pay their respects to Ingrida can do so at Dixons Funeral Home in Dundalk from 2pm to 8pm today. Her funeral mass will take place at 11am tomorrow at St Nicholas Church before burial at St Patrick’s’ Cemetery.
If people would like to donate money via their bank, they can click here for further information.
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