Memorial service takes place at Donadea Forest Park to remember 9/11 victims

A memorial service was held in Donadea Forest Park earlier today to remember those who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks in New York.

Wreaths laid at the 9/11 memorial at Donadea Forest Park 

The ceremony in Donadea was also attended by family and friends of US marine Liam Flynn, originally from Clane, Co Kildare, who was killed along with 10 others in a US military helicopter crash during a training exercise off the Florida coast in March 2015.

Mr Flynn emigrated to the United States in 2002 and enlisted in the marines in 2006. He served four combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq as a special forces marine. His medals and honours include a Purple Heart.

He was 33 at the time his death and was married with a daughter. 

The Flynn family erected a plaque that includes the logo of the US marine corps as well as “Marine Raider”, the name of his special operations regiment.

However, Coillte said that it did not carry out or give permission for the Flynn memorial and its policy since 2015 was not to permit memorials in its parks.

Earlier this year it had received “some complaints from members of the public” in relation to the memorial, the company said.

Coillte has now placed a bench dedicated to the memory of Liam Flynn, alongside the 9/11 memorial.