Crime Immemorial

During this time, an altercation reportedly took place at the bar, though the details remain unclear. Witnesses later told police that Ryan was assaulted both earlier that day and at McLaughlin’s Bar, escalating tensions that would lead to the tragic events that followed.

After leaving the bar around ten forty p.m., Ryan was chased by a group of individuals, believed to be males, down a narrow pathway toward the railway tracks between Portrush and Portstewart. In a desperate attempt to escape, Ryan found himself on the tracks, where his hand became trapped in a cattle grid. In his final moments, he made a frantic phone call to his father, Ivan Quinn, pleading for help and growing increasingly hysterical as he screamed for assistance. Tragically, minutes later, Ryan was struck by a passing train and died from multiple injuries. An inquest later revealed that Ryan was three times over the legal alcohol limit at the time of his death, raising questions about how a fourteen-year-old obtained alcohol and what role it may have played in the events.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) quickly classified Ryan’s death as suspicious, later treating it as murder based on reports that he was chased onto the tracks. Detective Chief Inspector Frankie Taylor, who initially led the investigation, believed Ryan had been assaulted at McLaughlin’s Bar before being pursued. Police interviewed approximately 60 people who were at the bar that night but emphasized that others present, particularly those in the smoking area outside, had yet to come forward.

In the days following the incident, three men and a fifteen-year-old boy were arrested in connection with Ryan’s death. All were released on bail, and no charges were filed due to insufficient evidence, as determined by the Public Prosecution Service (PPS). The PPS’s decision not to prosecute two key suspects in 2011 was a significant blow to Ryan’s family, who have continued to seek justice. Detective Chief Inspector Ian Harrison, who later took over the case, expressed disappointment but stressed that the investigation remained open, urging those with information to come forward.

Police have focused on the critical fifteen-minute window between ten forty p.m., when Ryan left McLaughlin’s Bar, and just before eleven p.m., when he was struck by the train. This period remains a mystery, with unanswered questions about what happened to Ryan after he left the bar. Investigators also uncovered disturbing details: one suspect was reportedly present at multiple witness interviews, and text messages referencing Ryan’s death circulated before police had confirmed his identity, raising suspicions about how this information spread. Additionally, a witness later reported hearing individuals at a party months after the incident discussing burning their clothes, possibly to destroy evidence.

In 2023, BBC presenter Vinny Hurrell featured Ryan’s case in a radio series and podcast, shedding light on the family’s enduring suffering and the unanswered questions surrounding the murder. The series highlighted inconsistencies, such as why suspects were not prosecuted despite police efforts to charge two individuals, and raised concerns about the handling of witness interviews. Detective Superintendent Eamon Corrigan, who took over the investigation, has continued to pursue leads, but the case remains unsolved as of 2025.