In a frighteningly short space of time Martin Lynch went from being a fitness fanatic to being confined to a wheelchair.
The heartbreaking and cruel realities of Motor Neurone Disease took his family, his friends and his teammates by surprise.
Yet, through the toughest of times, the GAA family are set to come together to support one of their own as Martin’s St John Bosco club host #Legends4Lyncho this Saturday, July 30 at Jack Mackin Park in Newry.
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“Martin played for us in the 1990s and he played in the Intermediate Championship-winning team of 1996,” said St John Bosco secretary Damian Brady.
“It became known that he had Motor Neurone Disease about three or four months ago, fairly recently.
“This guy was the fittest fella you’ve ever met. He played football, he was cycling. He won an All-Ireland masters cycling event. He was doing triathlons and doing training before going to Gaelic training.
“It is scary to see him go into a wheelchair in such a short space of time because he has such a fit guy.”
He added: “We’ve another guy from the club, Peter Devlin, and he has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone as well.
"He is living in Sligo now, but it is scary that it has happened to two players from the same team.
“Nobody knows much about the disease and there is no cure for it. I know of five people in Newry alone who are battling with Motor Neurone at the moment.
“There is a need for fundraising on two fronts. Martin is going to need adaptations done to his house as he has gone into a wheelchair so quickly.
“Part of the funds raised is going to Motor Neurone research and part is going to the family to help them with the cost of making changes to the house.”
The former Down player captained the Mournemen to the 1984 Ulster U21 Football Championship title and the event will bring together some of Martin’s former Down teammates as well as a host of leading GAA personalities.
DJ Kane, Mickey Linden, Sean Cavanagh, Oisin McConville, Steven McDonnell and Marty Clarke are among those who will be in attendance.
The football will involve the four Newry teams, St John Bosco, Mitchel’s, Shamrock’s and Ballyholland, a Down legends team and an Ulster All-Star select.
A team made up of Martin’s former Down U21 teammates and another of his friends and family will complete the eight-team line-up for the penalty shoot-out competition and there will also be a crossbar challenge on the day.
As part of their fundraising efforts, the club have already raffled two tickets for last weekend’s All-Ireland football final, but there’s a chance to win a rare piece of GAA memorabilia in their second raffle which takes place on Saturday.
A jersey signed by 21 members of Down's historic 1960 All-Ireland winning team will be raffled off.
Martin has also received messages of support from the likes of Peter Canavan, Benny Tierney and Rory Best as well as former Tour De France winner Geraint Thomas.
When lining out for the Mouremen in the ’80s, Martin Lynch was renowned for meeting every challenge with courage and determination. He’ll have no shortage of supporters in the coming weeks and months as he prepares for his greatest challenge of all.
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