Tributes as father dies in motorbike charity tour
A FATHER of three was killed while taking part in an annual motorcycle event he set up to raise money for charity.
Biker Aidan Lynam, who was in his early 40s, died yesterday while taking part in the Rev-Up4DSI Down Syndrome fundraiser.
The collision, which involved his motorcycle and a car, occurred at Dough Cross on the outskirts of Kilkee, Co. Clare.
Last night Down Syndrome Ireland said: ‘It is with inexpressible grief that we learned of the death of our dear friend and colleague Aidan Lynam.
‘Aidan’s untimely death occurred in Clare while participating in our annual motorcycle f undraiser Rev-Up4DSI.
‘Rev-Up4DSI was the brainchild of Aidan’s, and poignantly this year marked the tenth anniversary of this event, which through Aidan and his fellow motorcyclists has raised more than €1.6million for Down Syndrome Ireland.
‘Our thoughts and prayers are with our dear friend and colleague, his wife Nikki and their three children, Robyn, Jake and Harry, and all his loved ones.
‘Aidan was a much loved and valued senior member of our team at Down Syndrome Ireland, committed to his family and his work, and all of our hearts are simply broken as we struggle to come to terms with this great loss.’
The accident happened at around midday yesterday at a junction on the N67 Kilrush to Kilkee road.
The Kilkee unit of the Irish Coast Guard was contacted by a member of the public who had passed the scene and saw there were no emergency services in attendance. The volunteer unit had been training at the time and were quick to respond to the incident less than a kilometre from their base.
The road was closed and the scene secured as Irish Coast Guard first responders tended to two casualties until additional emergency services arrived including the fire brigade from Kilkee and Kilrush, ambulances from Kilrush and Ennis and local gardaí.
Mr Lynam, who was from Lucan, Co. Dublin, sustained serious injuries and it was decided to request the Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter to airlift him to hospital.
Coast Guard volunteers secured a landing site for the helicopter in the local GAA field while he was transferred from the scene to the helicopter by ambulance.
Mr Lynam was airlifted to University Hospital Limerick while the female driver of the car was transported to the same place by road.
The stretch of the N67 where the crash occurred was closed in both directions and local diversions put in place as the scene was sealed off pending completion of a technical examination.
It became clear that the motorcyclist was travelling as part of a group through west Clare.
In June last year, two motor- cyclists died when they collided with each other near Lisdoonvarna in north Clare.
One of the men was a German national who had been living in Clare. The other casualty was a Chilean television personality.
A fortnight later two German motorcyclists were seriously injured when a rental car collided with them near Doonbeg in Clare.
Witnesses to yesterday’s accident are asked to contact Kilrush gardaí on 065 908 0550, the Garda Confidential telephone line 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.
€1.6m has been raised for charity thanks to biker initiative