The remains of the Irish man killed in a plane crash in Ethiopia last March have been laid to rest in a private burial in Co Clare.
Micheál (Mick) Ryan, originally from Attychristoria, Lahinch, Co Clare, died along with 156 others when Ethiopian Airlines flight ET-302 crashed shortly after taking off from Addis Ababa airport on March 10th last.
Mr Ryan, a father-or-two who lived previously in Cork and Rome, was Deputy Chief Engineer with The United Nations World Food Programme. He died just two weeks before his 40th birthday.
The Ennistymon Parish Facebook page confirmed in recent days: “Following DNA testing, Mick’s identification has provided his family with remains to be laid to rest in Ennistymon New Cemetery.”
A casket carrying Mr Ryan’s remains arrived into Dublin Airport from Addis Ababa via Frankfurt this morning before the funeral cortege departed for Co Clare. It’s understood that Michéal’s mother Christine accompanied his remains home from Ethiopia.
The cortege was then met in Ennis by two Garda motorcycle outriders before continuing to Lahinch where it arrived just after 5.00pm. Mr Ryan’s casket was draped in the United Nations flag while the hearse also flew wing-mounted Irish tricolour and UN flags.
Around 100 locals as well as staff and students from Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon provided a guard of honour and held candles at Lahinch Church as the funeral cortege passed. Mr Ryan’s mother Christine, a retired teacher, taught at Scoil Mhuire in nearby Ennistymon.
The hearse then proceeded along School Road past Mr Ryan’s family home before continuing onto Ennistymon cemetery for a private burial.
