Tributes to ‘gentleman’ Ger Fennelly after the death of Dublin kitesurfer

Ger Fennelly, a seasoned kite surfer, died Saturday morning after an accident on Dollymount Strand in north Dublin.

Mr Fennelly, who was over 30 years old, was pronounced dead on the scene after getting into trouble in the water.

The kitesurfer’s sister, Elaine Fennelly, has now paid tribute to her “rock” and her “best friend”.

She wrote on Facebook: “Words cannot express how we all feel.

“I lost my best friend, my stone, an idleness to Calvin. Fly high with the angels, brother, I loved you so much. ‚

In addition to being a kite surfer, Ger Fennelly also participated in traitahalons as part of a Dublin club.

The Piranha Triathalon Club paid tribute to its “longstanding and respected member” in an emotional blog post.

They explained that the Dubliner inspired many club members when he graduated from Ironman Barcelona despite type 1 diabetes.

“Ger was a very experienced kite surfer and had been a kite surfer for 14 years,” they explained.

‘Ger has been a member of Piranha since 2014. He was an active member and a kind face in the club.

‘Ger gave his time and energy freely, doing many Sunday spins and always helping out with the club race DCT. Ger loved triathlons and represented Piranha in many triathlons at home and abroad.

‘He was always a welcome sight at any club training session or race

‘Ger made a lasting impression on many in the triathlon community and will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him.

“He had a wonderfully positive attitude towards life, was a friendly soul and a true gentleman.”