Having left home to start working with horses at the tender age of 14, I am thankfully still going strong six decades later. For the last 26 years, I have been employed as Travelling Head Lad to Paul Nolan, a job I thoroughly enjoy.

Although born in Kilcullen, I moved with my family to Roundwood, Co Wicklow, when I was just two years old. I went to primary school in the village and later spent a few years at the Christian Brothers secondary school. To be honest, the only thing I was interested in reading was the racing pages and, from a young age, I was fascinated by legends such as Arkle, Mill House, Pat Taaffe, Willie Robinson and my personal favourite, Fred Winter.

An English couple, Mr and Mrs Frank Warren, lived just three miles away from us and they kept both racehorses and broodmares. I would cycle over to their house every day after school and during holidays, so that I could help out in the yard.

One afternoon, when I was in my early teens, I was asked to lead up one of their runners, Sweet Vale, in a handicap hurdle at Baldoyle. She won easily under TP Burns, a legend in the game, who later went on to be Head Man for Vincent O’Brien. I thought all my birthdays had come at once and it was certainly one of the greatest days in my young life.

GENUIS

Mrs Warren did all the training herself and was an absolute genius. Her attention to detail was second to none, with no stone ever left unturned. I got a great grounding working with her and she also taught me how to ride. When I was 14, the Warrens sold up their place in Roundwood and moved down to Wexford.

I left home and went with them, as by that time I knew my future lay in racing. It was a huge decision for me to make, as transport wasn’t as good as it is now, meaning I only got to see my family a couple of times a year. I was fortunate in that the Warrens treated me like one of their own - they effectively reared me from that day on.

At 17, I got an Amateur licence, then rode for both Mrs Warren and outside yards in point-to-points and on the track. I won six races [three bumpers and three hurdles] on a horse called Devon Daisy, who was a real star for the Warrens. I also rode some good winners for Paddy Mullins - the greatest man that ever trained a horse. He was never one to complicate matters with instructions, merely telling me to “ride them as you find them”! One of the best horses I rode was Vulpine; I won a bumper and maiden hurdle on him before he later went on to win the Powers Gold Cup on his chasing debut, ridden by Matt Curran.

HOSPITAL

I suffered a really bad fall in Limerick one day, which resulted in me having to spend five months lying in a hospital bed. I broke my neck and three vertebrae and for a time it was uncertain if I would ever walk again. Mid-way through my recovery I needed an operation in which surgeons took bone off my hip and grafted it onto my neck. It was 60-40 against the procedure being a success but I was young and fit so had a fighting chance.

After leaving hospital I spent four days a week in the local swimming pool and later three months in Germany at a friend’s private pool. I have little doubt but that was instrumental in my recovery. Less than a year later, I was back race-riding, partnering winners on the flat, over hurdles and fences. Throughout all that time, I continued to live with the Warren family but within the space of two years they both passed away.

My race-riding career had come to an end, so I got a lorry and began transporting horses around Ireland and further afield. I went to France and Scotland for Sue Bramall and led horses up at the races for John and Padge Berry. Paul Nolan was just starting out at the time and he asked me to travel for him as well. Gradually as Paul’s string grew to a substantial number, I went full-time working for him.

It has been and continues to be a fantastic experience working for Paul[Nolan]. The Nolan family have always been very good to me and I consider them close friends. Paul’s parents, Jimmy and Margaret, are wonderful people, while Paul, James and Mel are a pleasure to deal with. We have enjoyed some memorable occasions together over the last quarter century with horses such as Say Again, Cloone River, Cuan Na Grai, Accordion Etoile, Noble Prince and Joncol to name a few.

The stable continues to turn out the winners and I led up the latest one, Peculiar Genius, at Tramore on New Year’s Day. I am in work every morning at 7am and still ride out a couple of lots each day. In my spare time I train greyhounds, another big passion of mine.

Lord Wonder, a dog I bought for €450 as a pup, won five finals for me a couple of years back, so I am obviously doing something right! I have six in training at the moment and hopefully I can find another as good as him. In the meantime, I have no plans to retire just yet!