News

Irishman from Britain killed on stag do in Spain as friends plea for funds to bring body home

A BIRMINGHAM Irish 'gent' has died in Spain after he was hit by a car at a zebra crossing.

Friends are now raising funds to bring the father-of-two's body home.

Adrian O'Kane, 40, had travelled with a stag party to Majorca, Spain last Friday, April 21.

Friends have described Adrian as a 'gent'. (Picture: Fiona O'Riordan)

In the early hours of Sunday morning, April 23, Mr O'Kane left the nightclub where the stag party had been and travelled back to the hotel alone.

Fiona O'Riordan, a lifelong friend of the O'Kane family spoke to The Irish Post to pay tribute to the Irishman following his senseless death.

"Adrian was on a stag do with 40 lads from Birmingham, and the majority of those lads would be Irish or of Irish descent.

"Around 3am local time, he left the nightclub and was going back to the hotel alone.

"We're not sure of the exact details but as he went to cross the road on a zebra crossing, a car hit Adrian and dragged him for 10 metres along the road."

The driver then stopped the car and stayed with Mr O'Kane until the police and ambulance arrived.

"They tried for nearly an hour to resuscitate him but he was pronounced dead at the scene," Ms O'Riordan said. "There was nothing they could do."

Adrian O'Kane was the second eldest of five siblings from Birmingham and had two daughters aged 12 and 15 in Dublin.

His father, Martin O'Kane was originally from Derry and his grandparents on his mother Mary's (née Tighe) side were also from Co. Meath.

"Adrian was well liked lad in the Irish community in Birmingham," Ms O'Riordan said.

"He went to the local Catholic school, worked on building sites for his brother Laurence, very popular, a lifelong friend, great craic and very humble.

Friends laid 30 red roses at the scene where Adrian died. (Picture: Fiona O'Riordan)

"He was a true gent that wouldn't harm a fly, was never too serious and was always having the craic.

"It's a bit of a double tragedy as Stephanie, Adrian's sister, her 12 year old son was diagnosed with a very rare type of leukaemia back in October, and the family are going through that at the moment as well," Ms O'Riordan added.

Fiona O'Riordan has also set up a CrowdFunding page to help raise money to bring Mr O'Kane's remains home.

"It's just horrendous to receive this shocking news," she said, "we're trying to help the family bring Adrian's body home from Majorca."

While the original aim for the fundraising campaign was £8,000, so far they've raised over £13,000.

The funds will go to bringing Adrian O'Kane home, which could take up to 12 days, and any additional money will go to Adrian's two daughters.