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AN IRONMAN COMPETITOR who died during the swimming section of a controversial race in Ireland smiled and waved to his fiancee and family as he entered the sea, his funeral has heard.
Brendan Wall, 45, who lived in Solihull in England but was originally from Co Meath, was one of two men who lost their lives in the Ironman competition in Youghal, Co Cork, on Sunday morning.
Ivan Chittenden, who was in his 60s and from Toronto in Canada, also died in the swim off Claycastle beach.
A row has since broken out between Ireland’s national governing body for triathlons and the event’s organisers.
Triathlon Ireland said it did not sanction the event amid concerns about adverse sea conditions, but differing accounts have emerged over the timeline for the decision and whether it was communicated to Ironman Ireland before the race began.
An investigation is ongoing, with Irish police also preparing a file for the attention of the Cork City coroner.
Family and friends gathered for Mr Wall’s funeral at the Church of St Brigid, Grangegeeth in Co Meath today.
Parish priest Fr Gerry Boyle began by offering words of comfort and condolence to the fitness enthusiast’s fiancee Tina, his parents Oliver and Gertie, brothers Martin and Joe and sister Maria.
He told mourners Mr Wall lived with a smile on his face.
The service was told the engineering and maths graduate, whose career in sales for technology companies had taken him around the world, proposed to his wife-to-be in Sicily in May and they were due to be married next summer.
Fr Boyle said that, after the Ironman contest, Mr Wall was planning to take up dancing lessons to prepare for the first dance at the wedding.
The priest spoke of Mr Wall’s love of sports, including golf and gaelic football.
He said he enjoyed training for outdoor endurance sports and had taken part in several different events down the years, including the 2012 London Marathon.
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May he rest in peace
RIP to these men pursuing there passion. Bit confused about the back and forth between organisers and tri ireland, seems the race was never sanctioned and should not have started, simple, perhaps I’m missing something, are tri ireland even the governing body over this event
@Jimmy Wallace: thanks jimmy
Mary Lou would have swam out and saved them if people would just vote for them please
Love and respect to the family’s and loved ones, but inall seriously if ffg had created corporate manslaughter, these two lads may still be alive, if you continue to vote ffg unfortunately this will happen again
@Robert Halvey: Firstly RIP to the two men who died at Youghal. Secondly, how can you blame the government for this? There have been 11 fatalities at Ironman events in 2023 alone (never mind all the other long course triathlon out there that aren’t part of the Ironman brand). These events put an enormous amount of strain on the body and that is why people do them, to challenge themselves. If, as I think is your point, organising groups can be held liable for deaths/illnesses then that’s the end of all sports as people have died playing GAA, soccer etc. 2 people died doing something they love, don’t make it political.
Firstly who gave permissionsec
So your ffg and don’t believe an organisation can be considered as killer’s
have your say