Friends honour Ryan Quinn in book of memories

At a lantern release ceremony at the River Bann last Monday evening to mark the third anniversary of Ryan’s murder, a group of young people gave the book titled “Ryan Quinn the world’s greatest” to his mother Lisa Kinnaird.

14-year-old Ryan died on January 30, 2009, after being assaulted and chased onto a railway track behind McLaughlin’s bar in Portrush. He was hit by a train and died instantly. Police then launched a murder investigation into the incident.

Speaking to the Times last week, youth worker Dessie Kerr: “A group of young people who were friends of Ryan came together and decided to put together a book of their happy memories of him.

“They wanted to give it to his mum so that she would know that they hadn’t forgotten about Ryan.

“They called the book ‘Ryan Quinn the world’s greatest’ and it features their stories and verses. They did it all themselves. It’s their way of expressing how they feel.”

Three years on since the teenager’s murder, two people have been charged over the incident. A file was then sent to the Public Prosecution Service which directed that there was insufficient evidence to continue with the charges.