Triathlon event held in memory of killed Garda Kevin Flatley

Garda Flatley died last month after being struck by a motorbike on the R132 at Lissenhall in Dublin on May 11.

A tribute was also read out at the triathlon for the 49-year-old father-of-two, who was a keen runner and had previously completed a half Ironman endurance event.

A member of the Roads Policing Unit in Dublin Castle, Garda Flatley was conducting roadside speed checks when the road traffic accident happened.

The motorcyclist was rushed to Beaumont Hospital and passed away from his injuries on May 30.

A keen fitness enthusiast and dedicated community volunteer, Garda Flatley was a member of the Fingal Triathlon Club.

On Sunday the club hosted the Fingal Triathlon in which some 600 adults and 200 juniors took part in the multi-discipline race involving swimming, cycling and running.

The event began at Red Island in Skerries, with a tribute read out in honour of Garda Flatley, followed by a poignant minute’s silence with many of his garda colleagues present.

Members of the Fingal Triathlon club later rode Garda Flatley’s racing bikes in a touching tribute to their clubmate. They were flanked by local gardaí on bicycles and escorted by two motorcyclists from the Roads Policing Unit in Dublin Castle.

A procession later took place in Skerries town centre with a guard of honour held. The Triathlon Sprint saw participants take on a 750m swim, a 20km cycle along the coastline, and finishing off with a 5km run.

At his funeral last month, the congregation was told how Garda Flatley always focused on helping people which extended beyond his workplace and was “always the first to offer support to community groups” and to volunteer.

This included his work with the Special Olympics, O’Dwyers Gaa club, and the Fingal Triathlon Club where he was race director in 2013.

The funeral, attended by President Michael D. Higgins, Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris, was told that Garda Flatley had been a family man who died in the service of the state keeping the roads safe.

He started his career at Pearse Street Garda Station, where he was a valued and respected member of his unit, before moving to Blanchardstown garda station in 2002.

He later transferred to the Roads Policing Unit in 2018.