FORMER trainer Eamonn Finn from Moigh, Ballymahon, Co Longford, passed away peacefully on June 10th.

Horses were his life. Together with his brothers Mick (deceased) and Jack, from childhood they were involved in many aspects of the horse industry.

Eamonn held a trainer’s licence and among the many winners he saddled inside the rails were True To Owen (Whiz Up Chase, Navan) and Fly Maid (Downshire Hurdle, Punchestown). He took great pride in training Moigh Star to win the very last race to be run at Mullingar Raceourse, one of his local tracks.

One of the most successful point-to-point trainers on the competitive midlands circuit, he trained winners in six decades, from 1950s to the 2000s. Among his many point and chase winners were Annaly Lass, Colonel Lemon, Carhoun, Vipsanius and Buddy Burke.

The list of jockeys that rode for Eamonn was a testament to the esteem in which he was held, among them Willie Mullins, Martin Lynch, Bob Townend, George Mernagh, Jimmy Tormey, Ned and Johnny Cash, Carmel Connaughton and Timmy Moorhead. Champion amateur Timmy Jones was the go-to man when the money was down.

Gerard Tumelty (currently assistant to Olly Murphy) is a grand-nephew of Eamonn.

The racing was only one aspect of the successful business the Finn brothers built from their Moigh Stud.

They serviced the local sport horse and show jumping breeders with many thoroughbred stallions, among them Codebreaker, Terence and Darantus. Terence, sire of Monty, was bred by Eamonn’s good friend P.J. Murphy and was a member of Britain’s three-day event team.

Darantus was responsible for some very successful show jumpers and show horses, including Moynalty (Lt Col Gerry Mullins), winner of 10 international speed classes including one at the Dublin Horse Show and one at the five-star show in Rome.

Darantus Rose was owned by Miss Moore and ridden by Paddy Quinlan to win the Guinness Novice Championship at the RDS. Once Upon A Time was another by Darrantus who won the Young Horse Championshp at the RDS after being sold by Eamonn.

He was widely regarded as being a very good judge of a horse, and dealing was a large part of the enterprise. Eamonn sourced many horses for Charlie McCartan and Tom Costello. He had a close business relationship with Vivian Bishop from Herefordshire who relied heavily on Eamonn’s judgement to find suitable stock for the English hunting and showing market.

Showing

Producing and showing was another aspect in which Eamonn excelled. The Finn brothers were well known as great feeders and the professionalism of the presentation was second to none.

A regular exhibitor at all the local midlands shows, Eamonn regularly competed successfully at the Dublin Horse Show. Among the many winners he produced and showed was The Bachelor on behalf of the late Eugenia Murray to win a Connemara Supreme Championship at the RDS.

Hundreds of horses were broken at Moigh and it was done in the old-school way. There were no short-cuts. Hunting with the Longford Harriers and South Westmeath Harriers was part of the education. It was often said if a horse was broken by Eamonn Finn it was a safe ride for its subsequent riders.

Eamonn also bred from a small number of National Hunt mares. His foundation mare was Our Joy, by Vulgan. Trained by Eamon, she finished a close second to subsequent Cheltenham winner Fort Leney. She became the ancestress of Grand National winners Royal Athlete and West Tip.

Eamonn Finn is survived by his brother Jack and his sister Carmel, his sister-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, friends and neighbours.