Grand National winner lives on in Westmeath

DID you know that the village of Drumcree in Co Westmeath has on display a sculpture of the head of the 1903 Grand National winner, who was named after their village?

The piece of art was actually unveiled in 2018 but we must confess we didn’t hear of it until recently when local TD Johnny Guirke mentioned it on social media.

It was crafted by Shane Bartley who runs a steel fabrication company. The Bartley family have been in Drumcree for generations and the sculpture is located at the crossroads opposite the bar owned by the family.

Shane told us: “My mother Mary gave me the idea for the sculpture. The story of the local horse who won the Grand National has been passed on down through the years and my mother thought it would be a nice idea to commission a piece to celebrate the achievement. I made it out of flat sheet metal with a hammer and anvil.”

The horse Drumcree was bred locally by C. Hope of Mabestown, Delvin. He was trained in England by Sir Charles Nugent, great-great grandfather of Sir Nick Nugent, Goffs director and owner of Ballinlough Castle, a 10-minute drive from Drumcree village.