Charity pays tribute to 'much loved' father-of-three killed in Clare crash
Down Syndrome Ireland has been paying tribute to one of its biggest fundraisers who died in a motorcycle crash in Co Clare yesterday.
Father-of-three Aidan Lynam had helped collect more than €1.6m for the charity.
The 44-year-old from Lucan in Dublin was taking part in a motorbike rally he helped to found - Rev-up4DSI for Down Syndrome Ireland - when he was fatally injured in a collision with a car just outside Kilkee, on the Kilrush to Kilkee road.
Mr Lynam was airlifted to the University Hospital in Limerick where he was later pronounced dead.
He was married to Nikki. The couple had three young children - Robyn, Jake and Harry.
Rev-up4DSI was Aidan Lynam's brainchild, and this year was the 10th anniversary of the event, which has raised over €1.6m for Down Syndrome Ireland.
Aidan Lynam. A life spent trying to improve the lives of everyone he met and most of all a biker. pic.twitter.com/wD0tnkwlMl
— PJ Gallagher (@pjgallagher) May 3, 2015
Down Syndrome Ireland expressed its grief at the loss of a “dear friend and colleague”.
“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,” said a statement.
CEO of Down Syndrome Ireland Pat Clarke said: "Aidan has a daughter with Down Syndrome. It was in an effort to improve services and to raise money for (Down Syndrome Ireland) that he came up wth this idea for this motorcycle challenge around ireland.
"It would ordinarily have more than 100 bikes going around Ireland on a three-day challenge."
Some 150 bikes were involved in yesterday's event, which was cancelled after the crash.
Deirdre Waldron on behalf of Down Syndrome Ireland said: "All of our hearts are simply broken as we struggle to come to terms with this great loss."
