Talented 16-year-old cyclist Shane O’Brien killed in collision with parked lorry during training ride

Promising 16-year-old cyclist Shane O’Brien has tragically been killed in a collision with a parked lorry during a training ride in Co. Waterford.

The teenager, from Fermoy, Co. Cork, was riding on the N72 road at Ballygalane, just outside Lismore, shortly after 11am on Tuesday when the fatal collision took place.

Local Gardaí, who are currently investigating the crash, described the collision as involving a “parked lorry and a pedal cyclist”. O’Brien was pronounced dead at the scene. The police also noted that the lorry driver was present at the time of the crash and was not injured, the Irish Times reports.

O’Brien, a first-year junior, was in his first season racing for Camsmajaco, the British junior squad paired with WorldTour team Netcompany Ineos, which launched at the start of 2026.

He took part in races across Ireland, the UK, Belgium, and Czechia this year, representing both Camsmajaco and the Irish national team, last competing at the Côte d’Or Classic Juniors, a three-day stage race in France which finished on 7 June.

O’Brien made his debut for the Irish national junior team in May, at the Course de la Paix Juniors stage race in Czechia, where he was one of the team’s three finishers. He underlined his rapid progress by finishing second at the Lacey Cup in Co. Kerry in March, competing with the country’s top seniors in his first race as a junior, while also showing promise on the cyclocross bike during the winter.

The 16-year-old was training on Tuesday, ahead of next week’s Irish road championships, when he was killed.

In his death notice, published this morning, O’Brien’s family said they were “heartbroken” and experiencing “inexpressible grief” at the loss of the teenager, the youngest of three siblings, in what they described as a “tragic accident”.

Shane’s brother Liam, member of Lidl-Trek’s development squad and regarded as one of the most promising young talents in the peloton, was taking part in the U23 Giro d’Italia when the tragic collision occurred. He did not start Wednesday’s fourth stage, returning home on Tuesday evening after hearing the news.

In a statement, Cycling Ireland said it was “shocked and deeply saddened” by the news of O’Brien’s death.

“Shane, formerly of Fermoy CC and more recently with CAMS Majaco was well known and loved in the cycling community. He recently made his national team debut at Course de la Paix in the Czech Republic and had shown great promise as an emerging talent,” the governing body said.

“Shane will be missed dearly by all in the cycling community in Ireland. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and teammates at this time of tragic loss. May he rest in peace.”

O’Brien’s Camsmajaco team also paid tribute to the 16-year-old, describing him as “kind-hearted, gentle, and positive”.

“It is with immense sadness that we report the death of Shane O’Brien, a first-year junior with us. Shane tragically died yesterday in a training accident in Ireland,” the British team said.

“Shane was a talented rider who had a bright future ahead of him, and was a kind-hearted, gentle, and positive young man. We were honoured to have him as a member of the team and he will be forever in our hearts.

“Our thoughts at this devastating time are with his family, friends, teammates and all who were lucky enough to know him.”

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Netcompany Ineos also said it was “deeply saddened by this tragic news”, while the Giro Next Gen posted on social media: “Our thoughts and prayers go to Liam O’Brien and his family, as Shane O’Brien, Liam’s brother passed away yesterday. The Giro Next Gen sends their love and support in these difficult times.”

“Everyone is shocked by this appalling tragedy and our hearts go out to his family, classmates, neighbours and friends,” the former Mayor of Cork, councillor Frank O’Flynn, said today in a statement.

“His family are very highly respected in the greater Fermoy area and I know that they have very proud sporting connections. Shane had a very bright sporting future ahead of him.”

Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses, or anyone who may have footage of the crash, who were travelling on the N72 between Lismore and Cappoquin, Co Waterford, between 10.30am and 11.15am on Tuesday.

Our thoughts are with Shane’s family at this very difficult time.