Ciara Durkin

Ciara Durkin (July 6, 1977 – September 28, 2007) was a member of the Massachusetts National Guard who died under mysterious circumstances while deployed in Afghanistan. A U.S. Army investigation ruled the death a suicide but the family disputes this.

Durkin was from the island of Eanach Mheáin, near Lettermore, in County Galway of the Republic of Ireland. Her mother, Angela Cloherty, is a native of Eanach Mheáin while her father, Tommy, was a native of Tourmakeady, County Mayo. Following Tommy's retirement as a teacher, the family emigrated to Boston in 1986. The family were only in Boston a few months when her father died at the age of 55. Ciara returned to Ireland to attend primary school in Tuairín, Carraoe /An Cheathrú Rua, and secondary school in Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiarán, An Cheathrú Rua, returning to Boston in her mid-teens.

Of her family, her mother, Angela, and siblings Fíona Canavan, Máire, Deidre and Pearse live in Boston, while her brother Tómas lives in New York. Her sister Angela lives in Eanach Mheáin and is married to Pádraig Ó Conghaile, a former footballer with Lettermore and now works in Galway VEC. Her brother, Eóin Durkan also resides in Eanach Mheáin, while another sister, Áine Durkan lives in Buncrana, County Donegal. She and her brother Pearse were very active members of the Boston gay community. Family members said Ciara was planning to marry her longtime girlfriend following the end of her tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Her ashes were brought to Galway on Saturday October 13 and buried with her late father in Lettermore graveyard.