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Longtime community advocate Irish McKinney was killed in a tragic motorcycle accident in California on Monday, Aug. 17.
Irish was well-known to the White Center/Burien-area as an avid Harley rider, accountant at Top Hat Taxes, as well as a tireless fundraiser for the needy, raising over $26,000 for the White Center Food Bank in the last few years, including $15,000 last year, according to Sean Robinson.
“That was his passion people…helping…and the motorcycle community,” Sean told The B-Town Blog.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Irish and his wife Marjorie suffered a catastrophic failure of a great tire about 25 miles west of Needles, CA at 2 p.m. on Aug. 17. They were both ejected from his 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle in the left hand median. Irish was pronounced dead on the scene, and his wife was airlifted to University Medical in Las Vegas.
“We have all lost a good brother, ” Michael E. Campell wrote on Facebook.
McKinney was 56.
Here’s more from a GoFundMe page set up to help Marjorie:

As many of his friends and motorcycle brothers would tell you, Irish lived for the road. It was his way of expressing freedom and love. It was the culture that had called to him at a very early age, and he was forever committed to advocating for bikers nationwide.
Marjorie loved to ride with him. She tried to ride her own once, but that wasn’t her thing. She was his better half. Together, they were among the kindest, nicest, most accepting and loving people you could ever hope to meet. To count them as friends has been a blessing to more people than we can count.
On August 17th Irish and Marjorie Mckinney were riding to their next destination on a month long trip that included visiting friends, family and attending a few get togethers by motorcycle.
Some time in the early afternoon, in the heat of the desert, the back tire of the motorcycle blew out and they went down just west of Needles, CA. Irish was found dead at the scene. Marjorie was  badly injured and was taken by air transport to a hospital in Las Vegas.
Many people were touched by Irish and many people love and care deeply for Marjorie. You have all expressed a desire to help in this time of sorrow. We are still learning details and there is much to be done, but we are setting up this page to receive your support to help care for Marjorie during this tragic time of loss.
Marjorie needs surgery to repair a broken right ulna and she needs lots of rest as her body heals from severe trauma to her right side. She will need to be transported home to Seattle once she is stable. She will need to be cared for, and her 3 adult children are doing everything they can for her right now.
This fund is to help pay for any expenses Marjorie’s has that aren’t covered by insurance. We don’t know what the total will be but we do know it is going to cost a lot of gas to get her home comfortably (she can’t fly due to collapsed lung, so a motor home is being brought out). Her children will be taking time off from work to care for her, so they will need to handle any urgent personal bills while they are not receiving money. Any funds not used for her care and recovery will be donated to Irish’s favorite worthy causes.

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9 replies on “Longtime community advocate Irish McKinney killed in motorcycle accident”

  1. My heart is totally broken, as Irish was not only my tax preparer, but a dear friend of over 18 years. He was an avid champion for the less fortunate in our community, and loved his bike. Praying for Marjorie’s recovery and for the family. This is so tragic and I’m in complete shock! RIP Irish!

  2. I did not have the honor of meeting Irish but have known his wife for the past three years. I am horrified to hear of this terrible tragedy for their family and the loss for the whole community.

  3. Riding a motorcycle is somewhat like playing russian roulette. It’s just a matter of time before something catastrophic happens. Irish was an exceptional human being. He was down-to-earth genuinely nice. Sure do wish he had taken up tank riding instead of a no-protection motorcycle. My wife and I pray Margie has a rapid and full recovery.

  4. we will miss you my brother Irish , you were one of a kind , I just wish that I was half the man that you were. You inspire me to be a better person ,we will watch over your dear wife and try and help the less fortunate like you have showed us how , God bless you for all you have done you were one of a kind, ADG Cobra proud to be your brother

  5. Irish was my brother since 87. Our Pans were our passion. Marjorie is an angel. I love them both.
    Ride on Brother.
    Dane

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