THE worlds of racing and equestrianism were immensely saddened to have learned of the death on Sunday of Anna Byrne, beloved youngest daughter of David and Anne Byrne and sister to Jennifer and Katie.

Anna developed childhood cancer at the age of four but never let her illness hold her back, especially when it came to riding. Living at the entrance to Fairyhouse racecourse, she was ideally placed to hunt with the Fingal Harriers and Ward Union Hunt and was an active and enthusiastic member of the Ward Union Branch of the Irish Pony Club, especially when it came to Minimus and then eventing.

Anna rode in flat classes, working hunter competitions and Derbies as a member of the Irish Pony Society and competed at all the big shows in this country such as Dublin and Balmoral and, further afield, at the Royal Highland Show outside Edinburgh and at the Ponies UK championships in Grantham. In 2019, she represented Ireland at the European working hunter pony championships in Wales and competed at the Horse of the Year Show on Fairyhouse Coco.

Anna campaigned for three seasons with Eventing Ireland on that home-bred Connemara/thoroughbred cross mare and, also in 2019, they were the ‘guinea pig’ combination for the dressage phase of the CCIJ2*-L at Tattersalls Ireland where Anna was warmed up by her coach, Emma Kieran; she recently sat up and had a little jump on Coco at home and told her sister Jennifer how to ride her at the Louth hunter trials in Tattersalls.

Anna played another role at that much-missed international as she was one of the young people who greeted guests attending the annual lunch/fundraiser for the Crumlin Medical Research Fund.

On leaving school, Anna studied event management at TUD and, up to two weeks ago, was on work placement with Stiles Events. She worked at the Champions weekend at Leopardstown and, before Easter, at a schools’ day in Fairyhouse. She also spent some time working during the sales at Tattersalls Ireland and staff from both the racecourse and the sales company lined the road as she left home for the final time on Wednesday morning.

Anna packed a lot into her life and earlier this year went on a skiing trip to France with her mother Anne and sister Katie, visited Vienna with her mother, sisters and Mairead Ryan and celebrated her 21st birthday on February 17th at Kellys in Rosslare. Even though she then spent time in hospital, she followed all the racing at Cheltenham, Fairyhouse, Aintree and Punchestown.

Her family were extremely touched to see how many of Anna’s friends from school (the choir from Mount Sackville sang during the service), the WUPC, the IPS and college visited their home and attended her funeral, with teachers, lecturers and coaches showing their support as well. Some members of the WUPC, in Branch colours, formed a guard of honour at the entrance to The Holy Trinity Church in Ratoath and with them, in their tweed jackets, were young neighbours Cian and C.J. Greene who now ride the Byrnes’ 26-year-old pony My Starlight, aka Tommy.

Anna’s family are most appreciative of the support they have received from their many friends in all walks of life over the past week, especially Anne’s sister Mary who doted on her very brave niece, and we in The Irish Field extend our sincere sympathies to Anne, David, Jennifer and Katie.