A man fatally assaulted in Dublin as he returned to his home after a night out was “gentle, sensitive and loving” but had been taken from his family in an unprovoked and unwarranted “act of violence”, hundreds of mourners at his funeral have been told.
Martin Lynn (33) was attacked outside the family home on the Larkhill Estate, Dublin 9, in the early hours of last Sunday week and died in Beaumont Hospital two days later. Mourners filled the Church of the Holy Child, Whitehall, for his funeral mass on Friday morning.
Mr Lynn’s sister and only sibling, Sharon, told the large congregation it was “really tough” to speak about him at his funeral as “in my mind I haven’t accepted that he’s gone”.
“It’s hard to put into words how wonderful a person he really was,” she said. “In fact the sad reality is, while I always knew he was sensitive, considerate and extremely kind, I don’t think I realised how lucky I was to have him as a brother.”
She added she and Mr Lynn had enjoyed a very happy childhood, thanks to their parents Patrick and Sadie, and “memories of carefree summers in Mayo and Donegal will live with us forever”.
Ms Lynn said while she and her brother were similar in some ways, they also had their differences. “I know it would make him laugh today to see his sister wearing his Trivium T-shirt, that’s a heavy metal band for anybody who doesn’t know,” she said. “He had a great sense of humour and I’ve no doubt if the roles were reversed he’d be right up here in a Britney Spears t-shirt.”
Many of those in the congregation were members of the tight-knit metal and rock scene in Dublin, where Mr Lynn was very well known. His remains were taken from the church after the funeral service to an acoustic version of Foo Fighters’ Times Like These.
Ms Lynn said her favourite memory of her brother was from earlier this year when she asked him to be Godfather to her daughter Lily. “Tears immediately formed in his eyes and he said, ‘wow I’m really touched by that thank you’, and that’s the kind of person he was,” she said.
Ms Lynn added she had placed a photograph of her daughter at her uncle’s bedside in hospital in the hope it might “spur him on to wake up, but it was too late”. She urged those present to “please help us in our ongoing fight for justice for Martin”.
Mr Lynn, who worked in a sports injury clinic in Santry, north Dublin, was attacked outside the family home as he returned from a night out by taxi. The Garda investigation into the fatal assault is continuing. Detectives believe a passing motorcyclist fatally struck Mr Lynn after stopping to remonstrate, apparently over the manner in which one of the car doors was opened.
Gardaí believe the motorcyclist struck one blow to Mr Lynn as he attempted to make his way to his home. While the victim was taken from the scene to Beaumont Hospital he never recovered and was pronounced dead at the hospital last Tuesday week.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the investigation team at Santry Garda station on 01 666 4000, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
