The heartbroken wife of a man who died during an adventure race near the Galway-Mayo border has said her “heart has been left on the top of Croagh Patrick, never to come down again.”
Carl Dempsey, who was in his 40s, fell ill near Croagh Patrick in Co Mayo while competing in the Gaelforce West race on Saturday afternoon.
Mr Dempsey, who was a UCD graduate and Vice President at American software giant Salesforce, became ill during the final section of the race route at around 12.20pm
An emergency plan was activated by race organisers and the emergency services, including helicopter support but despite all of the care given to Mr Dempsey he did not survive.
Now Carl’s heartbroken wife Lorraine has led tributes to her husband - whom she said she met “at a noticeboard in UCD 26 years ago” saying she has “lost my everything, my love, my light, my best friend.”
Taking to social media, Lorraine announced the passing of Carl writing: “My heart has been left on the top of Croagh Patrick, never to come down again.
“I would like to think that Carl Dempsey got to the top of the mountain and felt elated before his heart stopped earlier this afternoon during Gaelforce West. He is gone from us. Thank you to everyone who tried to keep his heart going, but it was not to be,” she wrote.
The organisers of Gaelforce West issued a statement following Carl’s death stating they are “deeply saddened to confirm the death of a competitor at Gaelforce West.
“At 12:21 race control was notified that a competitor had become ill on the final section of the race route. The event marshals responded to the scene immediately.
“The emergency plan was activated and the emergency services, including helicopter support, were called to the scene. Despite all of the care given to the competitor he did not survive. The competitor’s next of kin have been notified.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the friends and family of the competitor and ask that their privacy is respected at this time,” the statement continued.
Meanwhile, heartbroken pals of father-of-four Carl, who was living in Kilacoran, Co Tipperary, also paid tribute to the athlete saying he “truly was an exceptional man with a hugely positive influence on others and I count myself very lucky to have had the chance to have worked with him,” while another pal wrote: “Carl was a wonderful, mischievous and marvelous fun always. It’s unthinkable that he’s gone.”
