The family of the young Irish backpacker who died in an Australian hostel fire two years ago will travel to the scene of her death in September for a memorial ceremony.
Ms Julie O'Keeffe (24), from Limerick, was one of 15 young people killed in a fire deliberately set at the Palace Backpackers' Hostel in the Queensland town of Childers in June 2000.
Reacting to news that Robert Long, the man accused of starting the fire, had been convicted of murder and arson, a close family friend said he hoped the conviction would allow "some kind of closure" for the O'Keeffes.
Mr Jimmy Doherty, Julie's godfather, said the family was "glad to have the trial over at this stage".
"They didn't have strong feelings about the trial. Nothing they could feel was going to bring Julie back. They felt that even if he was found not guilty he was going to be found insane and would be chastised one way or the other."
Describing Julie as "very thoughtful, very sensitive", Mr Doherty said: "She was, if you want, a perfect daughter. She was always the one to think about other people, make sure birthdays and things like that were remembered. She was really, really lovely."
Neither Julie's mother, Ms Eileen O'Keeffe, nor her father, Mr Jack O'Keeffe, travelled to Australia for the trial. They would, however, be travelling to Childers for a commemoration service for the victims' families in September, said Mr Doherty. Julie's younger sister, Rachel (24), and her brother, David (28), who lives in Australia, will also attend. The last 20 months since Julie's death have been "pretty horrible for all of them", said Mr Doherty.
"They are trying to get on with their lives but are constantly being reminded by outside events of what has happened. They need really to be able to grieve in some kind of privacy, just spend time when they need to, with Julie in Limerick. I hope this, and later when the commemoration is over, will allow them to do that, give them some final closure."
Julie is buried in Limerick, alongside her grandparents.
