AN incredible £100,000 has been raised by the family and friends of a young West Belfast sportsman who tragically died earlier this year, for the charity which worked to bring his body home.
Ryan Straney (27) died in Australia in April following a collision on Sydney’s M1 Pacific Motorway. Within hours of his death a Go Fund Me page was set up to raise funds for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust (KBRT), with £50,000 raised in the first day.
Ryan, from the Upper Springfield Road, played for Lámh Dhearg GAC before his career was cut short through injury. He was also a keen golfer and a clubman at Balmoral Golf Club.
This week his family and friends gathered at Balmoral to present a cheque for £100,000 to Colin Bell from KBRT. Colin, who started the charity in 2013 after the death of his son Kevin in New York, said the money raised is a significant figure and could potentially help up to 40 families in the future.
“It’s just a testament to Ryan Straney and the sort of person he was and the family he had that so much was raised and it’s a legacy for him and it will help so many families,” said Colin. “You don’t get £100,000 every week and you know what it is going to be used for and unfortunately it will be used.”
SPORTSMAN: Ryan Straney
Speaking to the Andersonstown News, Ryan’s uncle Daryl Fegan thanked everyone who contributed to the fundraising drive.
“We’re here today to present this cheque for £100,000 to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust who repatriated Ryan’s body back from Australia when he was tragically killed in April,” he said. “If it wasn’t for these guys we wouldn’t have known what to do. They are absolutely fantastic with the work that they do. Ryan died on the Monday morning and they had him home the following Thursday.
“Ryan was a lovely guy who was very well got at our own GAA club at Lámh Dhearg and with the golf club here as well. He was a smashing golfer and an unbelievable athlete whose GAA career was cut short through injury.
“We want to say a massive thank you for the golf day that we held here in Balmoral Golf Club which took us over the £100,000 mark. There were over 200 golfers playing that day, and we’d like to thank the golf club for letting us host it here and all the sponsors who gave prizes for the raffle. The generosity of the local community is second to none."
Daryl added that $12,000 was also raised for the Irish Support Agency in Sydney who also helped the family during the tragic events of last April.
