Barry Whelan, a former Irish junior international who also won a stage of the Junior Tour of Ireland, has been murdered while living and working in America. Barry, who was aged 46, was attacked on St Patrick's Day and though he was taken to hospital for medical treatment he died last Friday.
News of his death, after suffering head injuries, has only emerged in Ireland in the last 24 hours. Many people who knew Barry, especially in Dublin cycling circles and among his former club mates in Les Jeunes Cycling Club, have expressed their shock and sadness at his death.
Scott Kinsella, one of the well known riders in Les Jeunes CC in the 1990s said Barry was part of "a great bunch of lads under the watchful eye of the late Richie Beatty".
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"I remember the first time Barry turned up for training, he was a skinny kid and his kit was to big for him," he said. "But from day one you could see he had real talent and we all spent many a Sunday suffering on his wheel around north Co Dublin. Barry at first was a quiet guy you’d barely get two words out of him but that soon changed and he was a real character.
"A great memory I have of Barry and his late dad, Shay, was when Barry won the first race he rode, he won easily that day. We later found out Shay and Barry hadn’t wanted to trouble anyone for a lift to the race, as Shay didn’t drive, so they had cycled about 35km to the race in Stamullen from their home in Dublin and rode home again. I think he was 14 at the time.
"Barry won many races including a stage in the Junior Tour and the overall in the Dunboyne Three Day. He stopped racing at a young age due to knee problems and work commitments. I was shocked when I heard the news about Barry, he was one of life’s great guys a true gentleman. It’s hard to take in that his life was taken in such a horrible way. Rest in peace my friend."
Barry had been living in the US, working as a carpenter, in recent years and was assaulted while at an ATM at about 9pm on Winter Street on Downtown Crossing, Boston. Police were alerted to an injured man at the scene and responded, with Barry taken by paramedics to Tufts Medical Centre.
He had injuries to the back of his head and one line of inquiry is that Barry was the victim of a one-punch assault. While he was placed on a life support machine, his head injuries resulted in his death a week after the attack.
Barry is survived by his mother, Valerie, who lives in Dublin and his brother, Darren, who is based in Spain. He was predeceased by his father, Shay, who was an avid supporter of his son's cycling career and traveled all over the country with him to races.
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Barry's aunt Marian said: “Such a young life taken so sadly. Barry was a hard worker and loving son . Will be sadly missed. Thinking of Valerie and Darren at this sad time. Love Auntie Marian.”
His cousin Siobhan said: “So very sorry to hear of the loss of cousin Barry. Taken far too soon. Thinking of you all during this very difficult time."
Another cousin, Nichola, said: “Very sad to hear of Barry´s passing. A young life taken too soon. Thinking of Valerie and Darren at this sad and difficult time. May he rest in peace with Uncle Shay. Love your cousin Nichola.”
John Marsoobian, the owner of Twin Peaks Construction who Barry worked for in Boston, told the local media he had been his employee for the last two years and had become friends.
“He talked on Friday afternoon about the fact that it was St Patrick’s Day, and he just wanted to go have a Guinness to celebrate,” Mr Marsoobian told Boston 25 News. “We didn’t hear from him all weekend, and when we arrived at the job site that he was running, he wasn’t there. It was highly unlike Barry to not show up for work.
When Mr Marsoobian discovered Barry had been attacked and was critically injured, he contacted the police and aided them in contacting the Whelan family
“He was patient. He was hardworking. He worked six days a week. He paid his taxes and he never complained about anything. He would give you the shirt off his back," he said. “That’s what Barry was, a gentle soul."
While no arrests have been made in the case so far, the area where the attack occurred was covered by CCTV and was being reviewed by the police. The medical examiner's office concluded Barry was killed by blunt-force trauma and was treating his death as a homicide.
