Fond farewell for popular jockey
The church was filled to capacity half an hour before the service began, with the large crowd of mourners spilling out into the church grounds. Tributes to the popular young riding star, who died from injuries sustained in a fall, were led by Fr Tom Dooley at Derrinturn Church in Carbury, Co Kildare.
Fr Dooley told the family members and the large attendance that the only comfort they could take from the tragic accident was that Kieran had died doing what he loved.
Chief mourners were Kieran’s parents John and Bridie, along with his two brothers and four sisters. Bishop Tom Flanagan Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio in the US was among the attendance. He also hails from Carbury, Co Kildare, where Kieran lived.
Also present were Dessie Hughes, the trainer Kieran rode for until his untimely death, along with other top names in the racing world - Jason Maguire, Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty, Paul Carberry, Conor O’Dwyer along with numerous trainers and Turf Club personnel, including Horse Racing Ireland chief executive Brian Kavanagh.
In addition there were many racecourse managers, including Paddy Donegan, the manger of the Kilbeggan racetrack in Co Westmeath where Kieran sustained his fatal injuries. The young jockey died last Tuesday having suffered severe head injuries in a fall at Kilbeggan on Friday, August 8. He had been on a life-support machine since the fatal fall.
Kelly was riding the Dessie Hughes-trained Balmy Native in the Joe Cooney Memorial Handicap Chase when the horse fell at the fifth fence from home. The jockey was kicked on the head and his mount then rolled on top of him. Paramedics were quickly on the scene and he was rushed to Tullamore Hospital before being transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.
Kelly had enjoyed a bumper season in England last year, bagging wins at Cheltenham on Hardy Eustace and on Leinster at Aintree.
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