The family of Brendan Wall, who died at an Ironman triathlon event in Youghal in August, has reacted angrily to Cork County Council's announcement that it will proceed with hosting the event in 2024.
In an email sent last night to Cork County Council CEO Tim Lucey, Cork County councillors, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Minister for Sport Thomas Byrne and several TDs, Brendan Wall’s brother Joe Wall, on behalf of the Wall family, wrote: "Shame on Cork County Council for announcing their sponsorship and support for Ironman Cork 2024."
Brendan Wall, aged 45, originally from Co Meath, was one of two men who died in the swim race at the event, which took place in rough sea conditions on 20 August in the aftermath of a storm.
Controversy erupted when it became known that the event organiser, Ironman, and the national governing body, Triathlon Ireland, were in dispute about whether the race had been sanctioned.
Read more: Reports into Ironman event shed new light on how races proceeded
In his email, Joe Wall states that Cork County Council had extended sympathy to the family on 11 September, yet just over two weeks later, on 27 September, a decision to continue to support the event for 2024 was announced by Mr Lucey, "having considered accounts from Ironman and Triathlon Ireland".
For this reason, Mr Wall said: "It seems Cork County Council's compassion was short-lived."
Mr Wall questioned why the decision was made in advance of the cause of his brother’s death being determined and other reports being completed.
"How can a public body facilitate a multi-million-dollar private entity before any findings from an ongoing garda investigation, a Grant Thornton review (appointed by Triathlon Ireland) or a pathologist report have been issued?" he asked.
Mr Wall also accused Cork County Council of not publishing information relevant to the family.
He wrote: "Cork County Council failed to publish the Ironman or Triathlon Ireland accounts of 20 August 2023, and the deceased's family has not been made aware of the existence of any such reports."
Mr Wall also queried why Cork County Council mentioned in its announcement two days ago that the event has brought €20m to the region since it began in 2019.
He concluded: "We the parents, fiancée, brothers and sister of Brendan find your attitude towards the catastrophe that was [on] 20 August, nothing short of atrocious."
Cork County Council was contacted in relation to the points in Mr Wall's letter. A spokesperson said in an email that "Cork County Council has no further comment to make".
