North Mayo reeling after Wales helicopter crash

TRAGIC PILOT The late Kevin Burke.

Edwin McGreal

The five family members who were killed in a recent helicopter crash in Wales were due to visit Mayo as part of their ill-fated trip across the Irish Sea.
Three brothers, Kevin, Barry and Donald Burke and two of the brothers’ wives, Ruth and Sharon, were killed when their helicopter crashed in mountains in north Wales on Wednesday last.
The Burkes have strong connections with Mayo, as their late father, Dónal, is a native of Kilcummin, in the parish of Lacken.
The group were flying to a family function in Dublin and, after attending that, were planning to head west in the helicopter for Mayo, The Mayo News understands.
The Burke brothers were regular visitors to their father’s native county and frequently stayed at the family holiday home in Kilcummin, a small village on the north-west shores of Killala Bay best known as the landing spot for General Humbert and his French troops in 1798.
The Burkes’ uncle, Michael Bourke, lives in Ballycastle, a short distance from the family home in Kilcummin, while another uncle, the late FionΡn Bourke, was formerly the principal of Crossmolina NS.
The Burke brothers had lots of cousins in the wider north Mayo area and locals there expressed a sense of shock and bewilderment as the scale of the tragedy hit home.
Kevin (56) and Ruth (49) Burke, Donald (55) and Sharon (48) Burke and Barry Burke (51) were all killed when their helicopter got into difficulty due to bad weather in north Wales and crashed into Rhinog Mountain in Snowdonia.
The three brothers are mourned by their mother Noeleen, who is in her 80s and a native of Kimmage, Dublin, and a sister.
Kevin and Ruth Burke have two children, a daughter and a son. Donald and Sharon Burke are survived by a son and twin daughters. Barry Burke is survived by his partner and one son.
In a statement yesterday, Donald and Sharon Burke’s daughter Olivia paid tribute to her parents.
“They were taken far too soon and it’s hard for us to understand why such a tragedy would happen to the best type of people, who were so selfless and genuine to everyone they met. They embodied every attribute of an amazing parent, sibling, child and friend. That will never be forgotten and will only make us aspire to do them proud,” she said.
A relative told the Irish Independent of the Burkes’ affinity with Mayo.
“They were all generous and loving people. They always came back to Ireland and to Mayo. The Burkes all have places in Mayo, and the family would all congregate in Mayo every year. They are such a close family,” she said.