'Probably tops the Gold Cup': Jack Kennedy takes in Dingle celebrations with childhood friends

Kerry native Jack Kennedy went to school with many of the Dingle players. After racing at Thurles on Sunday, he watched the All-Ireland final, and then dashed to Dublin to join in the celebrations

Jack Kennedy and Romeo Coolio pictured at the launch of the 2026 Dublin Racing Festival, taking place at Leopardstown Racecourse on Saturday 31st January and Sunday 1st February. Pic: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Professional obligations prevented Jack Kennedy from making the journey to Croke Park to watch Dingle’s dramatic All-Ireland Club SFC final victory but he wasn’t going to miss the chance to celebrate with the jubilant players, many of whom he has known since their school days.

The Dingle-born jockey was out of luck with three horses at Thurles but it still turned out to be a super Sunday for the 24-year-old as he got home in time to watch the game before heading to Dublin to join the celebrations.

Trainer Gordon Elliott was at the game himself and gave his jockey a later starting time on Monday so he could savour the success.

“He was with all the lads last night,” Elliott revealed at his Cullentra House base on Monday for a stable tour ahead of the upcoming Dublin Racing Festival. 

“I was at the game myself yesterday, it was a great game, great atmosphere at it, but Jack is friends with a lot of them so we let him not come in until 9am. You have to remember Jack is only 24, he’s only a young lad and he has to go and meet them lads and have a good night out as well. If Down Royal wasn’t on tomorrow he’d be in Dingle tonight.” 

Asked about the celebrations, Kennedy replied: “It was good craic. I went to school with most of them, there was a few lads in the same year as me or a year or a couple of years above or below. Most of them, bar Paul Geaney and Billy O'Connor, they'd be a bit older but I'd know the majority of them. They'll head for Dingle today and they'll have a good night tonight and hopefully they'll enjoy it, I’m sure they will.

“It's an unbelievable achievement, unbelievable and to have three Kerry teams: Junior, intermediate, and senior, it's a great achievement. It's great for all the lads and I’m very proud of them and proud to be from Dingle.” 

Asked to compare Sunday’s win to his own Cheltenham Gold triumph on Minella Indo in 2021, Kennedy replied: “Yesterday probably tops that (winning the Gold Cup) for the whole town. I had my great day but there's a lot of people involved and behind what happened yesterday.”