DCU welcomes Sharon Commins, DCU graduate, home
20 October 2009

Dublin City University Alumni would like to welcome Sharon Commins back to Ireland after being held captive for 107 days in Darfur.

Sharon, who was working for GOAL in Sudan, was reunited with her family at Casement Airport in Baldonnel late last night.

Sharon, from Clontarf in Dublin, and her Ugandan colleague Hilda Kawuki were abducted by an armed gang in Darfur last July. They were freed at the weekend after four months in captivity.

Sharon said at the press conference yesterday that both she and Hilda lived in constant fear of being shot but kept each other strong during their captivity. They are both reported to be in good health, but have lost some weight during the ordeal.

The Commins family thanked people in Ireland and praised those involved in securing the release.

Sharon graduated from the MA in International Relations programme five years ago in DCU.