Over €71k raised to help family of 20-year-old Cian who died on a skiing trip in France

Over €71,000 was raised in less than a day to assist the family of the 20-year-old Cork man who died after taking ill while on a skiing trip in a French resort at the weekend.

Cian O’Brien from Tower, near Blarney, was an electrical apprentice at a pharmaceutical company in Cork.

He travelled to France with a local skiing and snowboarding club and was among a group of over 300 people on the trip.

Mr O’Brien went out with members of the group on Sunday night.

The alarm was raised on Monday morning when friends were unable to wake him.

In spite of the efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene by a local GP. A postmortem examination is set to take place following the death at the ski resort of Alpe d’Huez.

A GoFundMe page was set up with the agreement of the family of the deceased. The page is raising funds to help the family to pay for the costs associated with “bringing him [Cian] home and laying him to rest”.

Mr O’Brien was a former player with both Blarney Football Club and Blarney GAA club, and well regarded in the local area.

Paying tribute, his former GAA coach at Blarney GAA Richard O’Driscoll said: “I had the pleasure of coaching Cian at U15/16 at Blarney GAA.

“Cian loved being around his teammates no matter the result, and developed great friendships through being involved and his loveable personality.”

Another neighbour wrote: “Paul, we are so very sorry to hear about Cian’s passing.

“We remember him as such a lovely, gentle lad when he worked with you on our house last year.

“Our hearts go out to you and your family during this terribly sad and difficult time.’’

The Department of Foreign Affairs have confirmed they are providing consular assistance to the family.

A spokesperson for the department said: “The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is aware of this case and is providing consular assistance.”

It is understood that Mr O’Brien’s family are organising the repatriation of his body to Ireland, with the support of Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust.

He is survived by his parents Paul and Sabrina, and sister Lauren.

No funeral arrangements have been made as yet.