The following is a letter to the Salt Spring community from Siobhan Corcoran and other family members from Australia.
The family of Dinny Corcoran would like to thank the community of Salt Spring Island for their support during this extremely sad time.
We can’t thank the locals enough for their involvement in the search for Dinny. We acknowledge the determined efforts of the Search and Rescue volunteers, especially Pete, for his help in finding Dinny. For their dedicated collaborative efforts we thank the Coast Guard, the RCMP, the RCMSAR and the Cormorant Search and Rescue helicopter.
To all those involved in locating his beloved dog Ninja and ensuring he was looked after, thank you. He is safe and happy in his new home with a close friend of Dinny’s on Vancouver Island.
To Greg, Liam, Jason and all the team at BWL Marine, thank you for the friendship and support you showed Dinny, which you have generously extended to his family during this time.
We received an outpouring of support and generous offers when we were having trouble finding accommodation on Salt Spring and have been overwhelmed by the kindness of this community. A huge thank you to Sandy and Jim for providing us with a home away from home and making us feel so welcome.
For the toy trucks lent to Dinny’s nephew, the beautiful flowers left on Dinny’s truck, the thoughtful gifts from strangers, the personal stories and kind words from everyone we’ve met over the past week, we are so grateful.
Dinny moved to Canada from Australia in 2010 and had made it his home. He moved to Salt Spring in 2021 where he began the ambitious project of single handedly building on Clamshell Island. He was living his dream and loving his life. We are devastated that he is gone but will remember his adventurous spirit and carry him in our hearts always.
Dinny was my first roommate when I moved to Pemberton. He was the kindest man I had met in my 53 years. When I decided to take over a pub to prove I could make it busy Dinny was the first guy there to show his support of my venture. He was a man like no other. He built a beautiful home and allowed me to live in it with him and Ninja with no boundaries. From the first day I met him he made me feel I was a friend not just a tenant. I’m in shock as a man like that should not be gone. He had a gift and I will miss him dearly. I would really like to be there when he is laid to rest. Please contact me so I can make my way to play respect.
RIP
Love u man
rodplummer@live.com
My deepest condolences to the Corcoran Family. I always wondered who was building on that little island. My son and I always take the Long Harbour ferry to Salt Spring and have loved watching the construction building on Clamshell Island. Now I know who took up that challenge.
Trista & Declan