HUNDREDS of people from across the district have donated thousands of pounds to fund the repatriation of the body of Leitrim man Ryan Doyle.
Twenty five year-old Ryan died last week after being injured by a taxi that had taken him back to his adopted home in Perth, Western Australia, following a night out with friends. The taxi driver has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving as police believe he may have accelerated as Ryan was getting out of the taxi following a dispute over the fare.
Ryan’s death has plunged his family, including his parents Jeanette and Willie, four siblings and wider family into grief.
But the Leitrim community has surrounded the family since news of his death broke and is leading a massive fundraising drive to ensure his body can be repatriated as soon as possible.
Hundreds from the wider community came together in the Liatriom Fontenoys Club on Sunday evening to offer their condolences to his bereaved family, while contributing to the Ryan Doyle Repatriation Fund.
The club opened its doors from 5pm-7pm for anyone who wanted to talk about Ryan or to offer financial assistance to the fund.
Ryan, who was a talented footballer and valued member of the club before his emigration in 2009, was one of dozens of club members who have left Leitrim in recent years to search for better work abroad.
Club chairman Dan Morgan said the club had been overwhelmed by the turnout for Sunday evening’s event, which he said was so busy that well-wishers had to queue for 90 minutes to get into the hall.
“There was a massive turn-out of people from all over the county, from Strangford to Tullylish, with representatives from most GAA clubs,” he said.
“A lot of people reminisced about Ryan and members of his family came down to show their gratitude for the people who had turned out.
“Fifteen of the young people from this area who recently moved to Perth in Australia also arrived home on Monday so they can be here when Ryan’s body is returned.”
Mr. Morgan said many other clubs from throughout the area were organising similar fundraisers to raise money for the Ryan fund. Among them are Dromara GAC, which has invited supporters to St. Michael’s Hall in Finnis from 7pm-9pm tonight to contribute to the fund, Drumaness GAC, which will host a fundraising disco on Saturday, December 8, and Castlewellan GAC, which will host a breakfast morning in their clubhouse on Saturday morning from 10am-noon.
Mr. Morgan said the support the GAA was offering the Doyle family was typical of the organisation.
“The GAA is one big family when it comes to tragedy,” he said.
“The clubs are rallying together to help and that is what makes the GAA unique. We can have our quibbles on the field but when times are tough we get together as one.”
Donations to the Ryan Doyle Repatriation Fund can be made by Facebook.
Ryan’s brothers Ronan and Kevin, who also live in Perth, are not expected to return home until their brother’s remains are released.