Grace Lynch (16) was killed after she was struck by scrambler bike in Finglas, north Dublin
Fr Seamus Aherne was speaking to mourners in attendance at the funeral of “friend to everyone”,Grace Lynch (16), at St Oliver Plunkett’s Church in Finglas, north Dublin, this morning.
Grace died after being struck by a scrambler on Ratoath Road in Finglas about 2.20pm last Sunday, January 25 after stepping onto a pedestrian crossing on a green light to cross the road.
She was rushed to Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown but later died from her injuries.
The funeral cortege of Grace Lynch passes St Michael’s secondary school as students release ballons into the sky. Picture by Mark Condren
During her funeral service, her boyfriend Harry laid her jewellery box at the altar in her memory, while two of her classmates from St Michael’s Holy Faith school placed a school jumper and a self-portrait she had drawn.
Fr Aherne shared the tributes paid by her closest family, including parents Siobhán and Martin, who described her as “so laid-back that she was almost horizontal” and who “watched rubbish on the iPad and laughed herself silly”.
The mass heard further tributes from Grace’s grandmother, Dolores, who described Grace as “always having time for everyone” and “never-condemning”.
Teenager Grace Lynch, who was killed in a crash with a scrambler bike on Sunday
Classmates from St Michael’s joked that she had “very crazy” musical tastes such as Oasis, The Carpenters and The Cranberries.
Addressing the tragic circumstances of her death, Fr Aherne expressed his concern at the manner in which she lost her life.
“Those motorbikes racing around our community are dangerous,” he said to those gathered. “Those mad youngsters full of bravado and daredevil behaviour, screaming around and weaving through the traffic will kill and be killed.
“But it’s not just the motorbikes – those driving around on e-scooters at present in black clothes without lights and no high-vis jackets will kill and will be killed.”
The funeral cortege of Grace Lynch passes St Michael’s secondary school as students release ballons into the sky. Picture by Mark Condren
He pleaded with those in power to enact “a single, simple change” to prevent further avoidable deaths such as Grace’s from occurring in this country again.
Grace’s mother Siobhán spoke out the day after her death where she pledged to “fight” to ban scrambler bikes and e-scooters.
Joined by more than a thousand mourners on Monday, Siobhán traced the route her daughter walked before she was killed.
Siobhan Lynch (front centre) is the mother of teenage girl Grace who died after a scrambler crash in north Dublin (Grainne Ni Aodha/PA)
“Justice for Grace, justice for my daughter,” Ms Lynch said as she walked.
“Justice for Grace, get the scramblers off the streets.”
Keith Lee, with an address at Parkview Drive, Poppintree Park, Ballymun, was the driver of the scrambler that hit Grace.
Mr Lee appeared in Blanchardstown District Court on Tuesday charged with dangerous driving causing Grace’s death at Ratoath Road, Finglas, on January 25.
The court was told that Mr Lee was travelling at a speed “not less than 85km” in a 50kmh zone when the accident occurred.