I first met Aileen with her parents Bobby and Kathleen when we were fellow students at Kill Equestrian Centre. I had at the time a super hunter called Radiman and I recall giving Aileen a few jumps on him and she was beaming for a month afterwards. Her family developed a keen interest in horses and in fact they were my first customers and we became wonderful friends. I have fond memories of cycling to Toberton House just up the road from our home in Johnstown and coaching both Aileen and her Dad before enjoying a super meal prepared by Kathleen. After dinner, Aileen would often help me type letters and do accounts. I would have been totally lost without her help.

She loved all animals, especially horses, and thoroughly enjoyed competing in the amateurs, where she had great success with several horses, most notably The Bureaucrat and Hundred Percent. She competed in Arezzo and on the Sunshine Tour in Spain, enjoying every minute of it.

At a time in my career when I had no top horse, Aileen bought Rancorrado for me to jump. He was, without question, one of the best animals that I ever rode. I would discuss my plans with Aileen and she freely shared her knowledge and dreams. She so enjoyed being involved with the horse’s schedule and competition roster. She was a magnificent owner who understood the ups and downs of horses. Rancorrado jumped on the Irish team at Madrid, Hickstead, Dublin, Calgary, Aachen and Barcelona and won the Grand Prix at Millstreet, Olympia and Basel. He was the most consistent horse I ever rode.

Aileen enjoyed coming with me to the odd show abroad and one day when I was running characteristically late for a flight, we jumped the queue at security in the airport. She was mortified. I think she would have enjoyed looking down on me queuing up outside St Brigid’s Church in Ballinakill this week in such an orderly fashion, to pay my final respects. “You won’t skip the queue here boyo!” she’d likely quip.

Aileen leaves behind her her loving father Bobby and step-mother Ann, who, like me will cherish marvellous memories of a great person who enriched our lives. It was my privilege to have known Aileen and to have enjoyed her friendship.

Cian O'Connor