Young jockey killed in accident worked for top stable owners

An amateur jockey killed on a a stud farm had worked for some of the top stable owners in the country.

Ryan Cusack (17) from Wilton Murroe, Co Limerick, died after falling between a tractor and trailer at Howardstown House in Co Limerick, a stud farm owned by Irish trainer Enda Bolger.

The youth, who was just five days short of his 18th birthday, worked as a stable hand at Bolger’s farm which is located between Athlacca and Bruree in southeast Limerick.

The accident occurred at 11.45am when the 17-year-old fell beneath the wheel of a trailer which was being used to transport trees that had been felled on the farm.

Pronounced dead at scene
It

is understood he had been standing on a draw bar between the tractor and trailer when he slipped.

Efforts to resuscitate him failed and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

His body was taken to University Hospital Limerick where a postmortem was carried out.

His uncle, horse trainer Liam Cusack from Co Laois, described his nephew as a lovely young man who had worked for some of the top stables and was privileged to recently wear the JP McManus silks.

“The family are in deep shock and saddened at what happened today . . . Ryan was a lovely young fella. He spent his summer holidays in Laois and was very pleased to make a go of it as a jockey and was quite a good hurler with Murroe.

“He has worked for some of the top stables in the country including Colm Murphy and David Wachman and now Enda Bolger. He had a few rides in point-to-points and was privileged to wear the JP McManus silks.

“The one bit of advice I gave him was if you are going to work with somebody go and work with the best . . . Enda is very good at bringing on young jockeys and he gained an awful lot of experience there.”

Mr Cusack said his nephew was due to celebrate his 18th birthday next week.

“Like all young lads he was very keen to make a go of it as a jockey. He was just shy of his 18th birthday so he was only starting off on the road to being a jockey.”

Ryan’s family have long- standing connections with Scarteen Hunt, one of the country’s most renowned hunts.

The 17-year-old was described by the Irish Pony Club as a popular and regular rider at horse and pony racing, mainly in the northwest circuit.

Limerick county councillor John Egan said the community of Murroe was saddened when news of the death unfolded. “Everyone is in total shock to think that a young man in the prime of his life would lose his life . . . His friends in Murroe are devastated.”

Gardaí at Bruff and the Health and Safety Authority are investigating the incident.