Friends of a Co Donegal man killed in a motorcycle accident in Australia have surpassed a fund-raising target set up after his death by almost $150,000 AUS.
AJ Doyle (30) died when the motorcycle he was riding was involved in a single-vehicle collision in Perth, Australia on Easter Sunday.
Western Australia police said Mr Doyle, from Buncrana, suffered “catastrophic injuries” and died later when his Honda motorcycle struck a wall.
A hugely popular figure in Perth’s Irish community, Mr Doyle was described as a “thrill-seeker” by friends. At a memorial service in his honour in Perth on Sunday, friends were told Mr Doyle lived life to the full, enjoying jet-skiing, quad biking and other exciting pastimes.
The Co Donegal man’s death led to a huge outpouring of grief both in Ireland and among the Irish ex-pat community in Perth. A Gofundme Page was set up to help the Kevin Bell Trust re-patriate Mr Doyle’s body back to Buncrana for burial.
Shona O’Donnell set a funding target of $10,000AUD (£5,219) for her “dear friend”. Ms O’Donnell said the money would be used to ease the financial burden on Mr Doyle’s family in Donegal and to help the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust as well as to return Mr Doyle’s personal belongings to his family.
However, within just five days, Mr Doyle’s friends surpassed the target by a massive $148,554AUD (£77,497), reaching $158,554AUD (£82,756) by Monday evening.
In a death notice posted on line, sympathy was extended to Mr Doyle’s mother, Caroline McKinney, father, Jason Doyle, brothers, Aaron, Jamie, Gareth, Thomas and sister, Eva. Funeral arrangements will be confirmed later.
