Richie Byrne - RIP

C3PO

Farewell Richie Byrne .... you will be sadly missed!

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/losing-a-legend-irish-cycling-mourns-death-of-richie-byrne/

Tenzor07

Sad news indeed, Richie was there right from the Start of the Irish mountain bike scene and was a national MTB and cyclocross champion, as well as winning many MTB enduro titles as well...

He will be sadly missed by everybody in the MTB and wider outdoor community...Rest in Peace..

shamrock2004

C3PO wrote: »

Farewell Richie Byrne .... you will be sadly missed!

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/losing-a-legend-irish-cycling-mourns-death-of-richie-byrne/

Oh man, only saw him a few weeks back in the Giant store. A real character. So sorry to read this

irishrover99

I bought my first proper road bike of Ritchie in the Giant shop. Very nice guy and always looking to make sure you bought the right bike for you. Very nice guy.RIP

DirkVoodoo

Sad news. RIP.

Johnny Jukebox

Terrible news, and so unfair.

Rode with him for many years with EPIC.

25sean

Legend... generous with his time and inspirational with his take on his illness...

RIP

secman

Met him many moons ago in the early days of mtb..through an old work colleague Mick Murphy, sad to hear this news. May he rest in prace.

koutoubia

Remember when he started the beginner MTB spins and I brought my son over. Really encouraging and my son still remembers the fun he had and the tips he gave.
A huge loss to Irish Cycling and to society in general.
Hope he finds some great trails on the next world.

bullvine

Thanks for the lovely messages, he was my brother. great to see such wonderful words about him, he was one of a kind, if he fell out with you probably meant he liked you..

C3PO

bullvine wrote: »

...... if he fell out with you probably meant he liked you..

Hah ... so true! Myself and Richie had a very fractious relationship over the years but thankfully always made up! I'll miss him terribly!

fat bloke

I didn't know him at all personally but I did bring my two kids up to his Ticknock MTB spins and it was really fantastic that he was willing and happy to give his time to introduce a new generation to biking. Very sad news that the cancer got the better of him. From his consistent social media positivity I had understood that he was coming out the other side of it.

RIP.

bullvine

fat bloke wrote: »

I didn't know him at all personally but I did bring my two kids up to his Ticknock MTB spins and it was really fantastic that he was willing and happy to give his time to introduce a new generation to biking. Very sad news that the cancer got the better of him. From his consistent social media positivity I had understood that he was coming out the other side of it.

RIP.

He got some very bad news a couple of weeks back and just went downhill rapid unfortunately. Its happened very fast. Its overwhelming to see such wonderful words about him on Social Media, he was an angry bastid but only wanted the best for cycling, he wasnt always in the right but he lived some life, he should have really wrote a book.

bullvine

C3PO wrote: »

Hah ... so true! Myself and Richie had a very fractious relationship over the years but thankfully always made up! I'll miss him terribly!

You knew him well so with a response like that.

easygoing39

Richie truly was the Godfather of Irish Mountaining.Very keen to help and encourage (mostly by shouting abuse LOL )others and very passionate to drive the whole Irish MTB scene/sport upwards and onwards.
Richie will be missed,but never forgotten.

My condolence's to yourself bullvine and to all Richie's family.

Alkers

Had the pleasure of encountering Richie about 12 years ago as a young lad just getting interested in biking. Knew him for a few years but hadn't seen or heard from him for a long time up until I heard of his diagnosis and followed his blog throughout. He was an absolute character with an incredible ability to simultaneously terrify, motivate and overwhelmingly entertain a large number of people of different ages from all walks of life. His passion for the biking and the outdoors was absolute and he will be sorely missed. RIP

Andy Magic

Richie was an absolute pleasure to deal with in the Giant Store. I wouldn't have my TCR if it wasn't for him.

RIP.

shamrock2004

Andy Magic wrote: »

Richie was an absolute pleasure to deal with in the Giant Store. I wouldn't have my TCR if it wasn't for him.

RIP.

+1. He lauded me for bringing my TCR back in for its first service - "most people don't bother!" he said.

dragon_lordMTB

Very sad to hear this news. Richie and EpicMTB are linked in my head as I first went on a spin with him in 2002. He was a force of nature and was the only reason I made it to the top of Camaderry and back again on those legendary spins.
The EPIC blast(s) and club races were some of the best days I've had on a bike!

My deepest sympathies to his family.

Clive

Greenman

If you go here https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRZfgt6K8shup4gkigJHmfqrJiQVff6EUfG1e75es50ryeXG-md a little write up on Richie. RIP

alexinkildare

RIP Richie. A pioneer for the Irish MTB scene.

TooObvious

Very sad news to hear.

Like many I started out on the MTB back in 2003 with Richie and the EPIC spins. You'd always be a tad nervous heading out, wondering which rock of death or skidderyness he'd make you cycle down! If you wimped out you'd be slagged mercilessly for "ruining the spin"!

I guess his legacy is the amount of people he has inspired to cycle and get outdoors.

RIP to Richie and best wishes to his family.

RobFowl

Met him briefly at a few MTB and cross events and he just gave the air of a man in love with life and the bike.
Someone who made the world a more interesting place.
RIP

Tenzor07

Funeral notice:

https://rip.ie/showdn.php?dn=299600/Richard%20(Richie)BYRNE/Sallynoggin/Dublin

bullvine

We are overwhelmed by the support and messages on Social Network. I am just so glad he tried to drive biking in this country. He only ever wanted the best, even if he sometimes went about it the wrong way.

We adored him as a big brother. #****cancer

JayRoc

I met Richie and Carol through the gym, and he and I actually started kickboxing together, which makes it a long time ago. A gentleman.

I happened to be coaching a group of cyclists last night, of various ages and backgrounds, and every single one of them knew Richie and had their own story to tell about him.

RIP

Icyseanfitz

never actually got to meet the man himself but when i was getting into mtbing i used epics forum for a few questions on some bikes i was looking at, was rightfully given some abuse by the man himself, buy a giant you goober

been into mtbing for 6-7 years now and ive no idea how i didnt get to bump into the man, big regret of mine i must say. so sorry for your and his families loss bullvine

RIP Richie

#****cancer

deandean

RIP Richie. Very sad, I wasn't expecting it.

The man who introduced the phrase "mad fecker" into mountain biking.

Tomred13

still reeling after hearing about Richie passing away. He truly was the chuck Norris of the mtb world, Under the moustache he was one of the funniest caring and supportive men you could meet. his contribution to irish cycling is legendary, he always had time for people, always willing to take you under his wing. You will be missed, See ya on the trail in the sky...
RIP

Pinch Flat

Didn't know the guy personally but only learned of him through social media after his diagnosis.

I followed his posts on social media that documented his fight against this terrible disease and was going he'd come out the other end.

From what I learned of the guy he was a total legend and a great loss.

RIP. Fcuk you cancer.

Tenzor07

Any club secretaries out there could nominate Richie for induction into the Cycling Ireland Hall of Fame:

http://www.cyclingireland.ie/cycling-news-item/cycling-ireland-hall-of-fame-proposals/2207

Greyspoke

I don't do any of the regular social media stuff and its years since I posted on Boards but I just felt I had to register my huge sadness at hearing of Richie's passing. Its only a few weeks since I last saw him at the Dirty Dames race on Three Rock, helping him to his feet before the prize giving. Sure he looked a bit rough but you still felt that if anyone would pull through then Richie would.
Yes, he managed to get on the wrong side of people - probably all of us at some point but often with good justification, but his heart was always in the right place when it came to mountain biking. I regret not getting out on the bike with him more often because they were always good fun times.
Buddy, I'll miss you so much - there are tears in my eyes now writing this.
Much love to Carol, Sophie and family - I hope Richie has left you with some of his strength to help you bear this. Justin

terrydel

RIP to him.
Anyone got a link to his twitter page or his cancer blog, its always nice to read that kind of inspiring stuff.

asteroids over berlin

RIP Mr.Byrne :cool:

bullvine

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Any club secretaries out there could nominate Richie for induction into the Cycling Ireland Hall of Fame:

http://www.cyclingireland.ie/cycling-news-item/cycling-ireland-hall-of-fame-proposals/2207

That would be unreal.

bullvine

I am planning on setting up an account for people who can send stories of him from the past and the encounters with the mad dog.. It will do the rounds on facebook etc. but will let you know what I am looking.

May look at a book or something, my wife is from a publishing background so that's the plan.

Eamonnator

I was at the funeral yesterday. What a turn out, The church was jam packed.
It was a reflection of the regard, in which Richie was held.
I loved the moment, when the priest said Richie was "The Grandfather" of Irish mountain biking. Someone in the congregation immediately corrected him by shouting "The Godfather". It drew a great round of applause.
There were hundreds of people there in biking jerseys from various clubs around the place. I wore an Ireland jersey from 2004(I was manager of the Irish DH team)
When Richie's coffin was being brought from the church, there was a guard of honour and a "Helmet Salute" People had brought helmets and as the coffin passed everybody raised their helmets. There was also an group of mountain bikers, who escorted the hearse from the church.
A friend of Richie's delivered the eulogy, which perfectly encapsulated Richie's love of life, family, friends and biking.
The ceremony was lovely. I laughed and cried in equal measure.
R.I.P.

Tomred13

Theres a mtb spin organised for next sunday on ballinastoe trails in honour of the "Godfather" if anyones interested. will post times etc tomorrow.
D

bullvine

Greyspoke wrote: »

I don't do any of the regular social media stuff and its years since I posted on Boards but I just felt I had to register my huge sadness at hearing of Richie's passing. Its only a few weeks since I last saw him at the Dirty Dames race on Three Rock, helping him to his feet before the prize giving. Sure he looked a bit rough but you still felt that if anyone would pull through then Richie would.
Yes, he managed to get on the wrong side of people - probably all of us at some point but often with good justification, but his heart was always in the right place when it came to mountain biking. I regret not getting out on the bike with him more often because they were always good fun times.
Buddy, I'll miss you so much - there are tears in my eyes now writing this.
Much love to Carol, Sophie and family - I hope Richie has left you with some of his strength to help you bear this. Justin

You knew him very well, he fell out with everyone, that's just the way he was. The eulogy was amazing by Damo and in the crematorium, one of his oldest friends said a speech about his love of writing and Robert E Howard and quoted a line from Conan the barbarian. What a way to go.

The cycling community is top class, the way they celebrated his life he would have loved it.

Subcomandante Marcos

Only found out about Richie's passing from a post by Greg Callaghan on Facebook.
Great to see Greg finishing 7th over all in the Enduro World Series after an amazing season and his cousin Killian finishing 4th in the juniors.

Greg has been very vocal in his thankfulness to the effort Richie put into people like himself and the scene as a whole and I think it's fair to say that the fact that Ireland has two of the best enduro riders on the planet can in part be attributed to Richie's years of hard work and dedication.

I just wish I was still involved with a club so I could petition my secretary to nominate Richie to the Irish cycling hall of fame.

bullvine

If anyone has a decent story about him good or bad, if you could send them to talesofrichie@gmail.com and if you know anyone that might know him, that might want to contribute that would be awesome, I have contacted most of his friends as well. It might not go anywhere but you never know.

Tomred13

Last BLAST for Richie..

THE LAST BLAST
On Sunday 9th October there is a spin taking place in Ballinastoe in memory of the Godfather of MTB. We are inviting anyone who knew Richie to join this event, individuals, clubs, close friends, distant friends and former friends. This is a chance for the Mountain Biking community to come together as a whole, remember the Legend and show our support for Carol and Sophie.
Meeting place is the biking.ie hut, we will ride up to the start of the old Blast, and race back down. Leaving the hut at 11am. If you are injured, or a non biker by all means come along to watch the madness.
We will be doing a collection for Carol and Sophie. Please bring what you can and donate at the biking.ie hut. Please have your donation in an envelope.
Adrian will be there to capture what should be an historic event.
We hope to see you all there, for what will be the biggest Sunday spin of all time.
Parking for the event will be in the same field as the Gravity Enduro.
The field will be open from 9am.
NO parking outside Ballinastoe please as the trails will be open for business usual.


D