By Sean Moriarty

Nearly a full truck load of essential aid was donated by the people of Killarney following last week’s devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria which killed 41,000 people.

The collection was organised by Killarney resident, and well-known Turkish barber Michael Kaya.

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake ripped through the two countries leaving thousands of people without shelter or food, and with just the clothes on their backs.

It was the biggest earthquake Turkey has experienced in over 200 years and 10 cities and millions of people were affected.

Upon hearing the news of the devastation to hit his home country Michael, who is from Kuşadası and who been living in Killarney for 19 years, put a call out for donations.

He has been overwhelmed by the response from friends, family and customers of his High St barber shop.

They donated clothes, food, nappies and other essentials. Some of the donations came from as far away as West Cork.

He took in nearly a full truck load of essentials.

“People are very good,” he told the Killarney Advertiser. “We delivered to Dublin, to an old army hospital and all the donations will be distributed from there. I'd like to thank everyone in Killarney for their generosity, for helping the people from my home country in their time of need."