A €2,000 scholarship is to be given to a student at Dublin City University next month under a special fund honouring an Irish climber killed in the Himalayas.
Ger McDonnell (37) of Limerick vanished a year ago today after descending the world’s second highest mountain with several other trekkers.
His former engineering classmates at Dublin City University petitioned college authorities to set-up a grant for disadvantaged students in Mr McDonnell's name.
Claire Whelehan, DCU development officer of the university’s educational trust, said it was expected one student would be selected for the scheme every year.
“Ger was a graduate of the School of Engineering. That’s the reason his classmates got in touch with us, they wanted to do something in his memory,” Ms Whelehan said. “Ger was such a generous person they wanted to so something that was lasting as well.”
The day before Ger disappeared on August 2nd, 2008, he became the first Irish man to reach the summit of K2, regarded as the most dangerous mountain in the world.
Donations from friends, family and colleagues helped raise €52,000 for the access scholarship fund in memory of Mr McDonnell.
His family will hold a service this evening to mark the first anniversary of the death.
Mr McDonnell's family have also established a fund to help provide support to the children of four guides who died in the tragedy.
PA