Alan began to write in his late teens, starting with poetry, songs and short stories, He worked as an architect, in Dublin, then Edinburgh, returning to Ireland in 2009, when he became ill.

FERDY Murphy’s Kitski is the sole British entry in the Ellen Construction Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran on Thursday.

KYMANDJEN, a more than useful handicapper, landed the valuable Wilf Dooly Chase at Tramore yesterday to continue the good run of Paul Nolan and John Cullen.