Finglas woke up to heartbreak after 16-year-old Grace Lynch lost her life in a sudden, violent collision that has shaken families far beyond her street. On a quiet Sunday, a young girl full of plans stepped into the road and never made it across.
Grace was crossing Ratoath Road in Finglas when she was struck by a scrambler motorbike. The impact was devastating. Emergency crews rushed to help, and Grace was taken to Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown. Despite every effort, her injuries were too severe. She died later that day.
Gardaí moved quickly in the aftermath. A man suspected of riding the scrambler motorbike was arrested as investigators began piecing together what happened on that stretch of road. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to establish the full circumstances of the crash.
At the center of the grief is Grace’s mother, Siobhan Lynch, whose words have cut through the noise with raw honesty. “We are devastated. I want justice,” she said. She spoke of a daughter who was funny, loving, and deeply cherished. “She was 16. She was a beautiful girl. My baby girl.”
Siobhan described the pain no parent should ever face. Watching Grace take her final breath, she said, was unbearable. Alongside Grace’s father Martin, her sisters Shauna and Brooke, and her baby brother Jude, the family is struggling to accept a loss that came without warning and without reason.
The family’s grief has also become a call for action. Siobhan pleaded for stronger measures to deal with scrambler bikes on public roads. She said Grace was doing nothing wrong. She was simply crossing the road. “She didn’t need to die,” her mother said. “I’m not going to let my baby die in vain.”
Friends and neighbors across Finglas have wrapped the Lynch family in support. Tributes continue to appear, each one painting the same picture of Grace. A warm smile. A gentle presence. A young life that made others feel seen and loved.
As Finglas mourns, the questions linger. How did this happen, and how can it be prevented from happening again. For now, a family grieves a daughter taken far too soon, and a community holds onto her memory while waiting for answers and accountability.
