THE CHAIR OF the Oireachtas Committee on Sport is to raise the fallout from the Youghal Ironman tragedy with fellow members this week, ahead of a possible invite for both Sport Ireland and Triathlon Ireland to appear before it. 

The move by Deputy Alan Kelly comes after The Journal Investigates revealed that Triathlon Ireland had racked up more than €500,000 in legal fees relating to the Youghal tragedy in August 2023, including on a specially commissioned report which has still not been published. 

The investigation by journalist Conor O’Carroll outlined how Ironman and Triathlon Ireland dispute the exact sequence of events of the morning of 20 August 2023. It also revealed the financial pressure that Triathlon Ireland has come under as a result of legal expenditure. 

An inquest into the deaths of Irishman Brendan Wall (45) and Canadian Ivan Chittenden (64) concluded on Friday, 29 May in Youghal with verdicts of accidental death.

Committee likely to write to sports bodies 

Deputy Alan Kelly, Chair of the Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

The Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport is to meet on Wednesday 10 June and Kelly said he would discuss the Youghal Ironman situation with members in private session. 

The Tipperary deputy queried if there was “an impasse” between Triathlon Ireland and Ironman over the unpublished report, which was commissioned by Triathlon Ireland and carried out by Grant Thornton.

“It is something I will discuss with committee members on Wednesday in private session with a view to asking Triathlon Ireland and Sport Ireland, in particular, to update the committee on where this is at, are there governance issues, does this mean that Ironman events will not happen any more and why is there such an impasse,” he said.

Kelly said he wanted the committee to receive a “full, rounded view” of the current situation.

Another member of the same committee, TD Malcolm Byrne, said: “It may be appropriate for the Oireachtas Committee on Sport to examine this issue or at least seek clarity from Triathlon Ireland.

The most important thing is to ensure that lives will never be lost again in this way.”

Local concerns 

Fianna Fáil TD for Cork East, James O’Connor, said “what’s happening right now is not going to work in anyone’s favour” and added that the local community in Youghal would like to see the Ironman event return.

Of the current situation, he added: “I do feel that Ironman have to put this to bed one way or another, and also when it comes to other organisations and state-funded agencies as well, this has not done a service to anyone.”

He said the people of Youghal wanted Ironman events to continue, with it having brought many visitors from overseas to the area in the past, but that the deaths of the two competitors had been uppermost in everyone’s minds.

As for the lack of a resolution, he said “there is a sense of frustration and disappointment to see this coming into the public domain”.

Shortly after the conclusion of the inquest proceedings last week, the family of Brendan Wall called for the Grant Thornton report to be published.

Additional reporting by Christina Finn.