Legendary jockey Mr Lester Piggott, sadly passed away today aged 86, while in hospital in Switzerland, following a recurrence of a previous heart problem. Mr Piggott had emigrated to Switzerland in 2012, where he had continued to reside in rented accommodation with his mistress Lady Barbara FitzGerald, latter more than 20 years his junior.
Born on November 5th, 1935 in Wantage, Berkshire, England; Mr Piggott is regarded as one of the greatest flat racing jockeys, and the finest of his generation. Mr Piggott, who won the Derby nine times, began racing horses from his father’s stable when he was ten years old winning his first race in 1948, at the aged of twelve, on a horse called ‘The Chase’, at Haydock Park racecourse in Merseyside, North West England. His final victory was on the same course in 1994, a few weeks before his 59th birthday. He retired in 1995.
Believed to be one of his last visits to Co. Tipperary; on Thursday May 23rd, 2013, Mr Lester Piggott, accompanied by his daughter, RTE television presenter Tracy Piggott, was the guest of honour at the official launch of the newly redeveloped Tipperary Racecourse, at Ballykisteen, Limerick Junction, Co. Tipperary.
Tall for a jockey at 5 feet 8 inches, and known as “The Long Fellow”, Mr Piggott kept himself thirty pounds (14kg) under his natural weight to remain competitive. During a career lasting almost 50 years in all, he rode 4,493 winners and was crowned champion jockey 11 times between 1960 and 1982, and last year was inducted into the British Champions Series Hall of Fame.
In a low point in his career, he served 366 days of a three-year prison sentence handed down in 1987 for tax evasion and was stripped of his Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE).
Piggott married Susan Armstrong, the daughter of trainer Sam Armstrong, in 1961 before moving to Newmarket, Suffolk. The couple would later separate, but remained married. They had two daughters, Maureen, married to Derby-winning trainer William Haggas and Tracy, latter a sports presenter on Irish television station RTÉ. He also had a son, Jamie, from his relationship with personal assistant Anna Ludlow.
In 2014 his Eve Lodge Stables training yard and complex, (which included four semi-detached, two-bedroomed bungalows) which could then house up to 100 horses, was put on the market for £1.25 million.
The Irish Prison Service, in partnership with the FAI and St. Patrick’s Athletic Football Club, today marked the graduation ceremony for 20 prisoners who have recently completed the FAI Coach Education department’s Adult Amateur Licence course.
The course was led by St. Patrick’s Athletic Director of Football and UEFA Pro Licence holder Ger O’Brien and will enable all licence holders to coach in the Adult Amateur game and integrate into Irish football on their release.
Republic of Ireland Under 21 manager Jim Crawford in presenting each successful candidates with their coaching licence stated, “Football can be such a positive influence in so many lives and we have seen the power of football and the impact it can have on these graduates here today. I look forward to the coaching journey they have now commenced on. There will be many opportunities for them in football in the future and I wish them well”.
St Patrick’s Athletic Director of Football Ger O’Brien led the course on behalf of the club and thanked the graduates for their commitment and willingness to learn through the medium of football and coaching. Ger stated, “When we were approached by the Irish Prison Service and the FAI about delivering this programme, we were more than happy to oblige. This has been a fantastic initiative from all involved to help educate the participants of both courses. Coaches from St. Patrick’s Athletic have been working closely with the groups to enhance not only their football knowledge, but also interpersonal skills. The development of the participants throughout the program has been clear to see”.
The FAI’s Head of Coach Education, Niall O’Regan stated: “The programme is a fabulous way to connect the participants to the game of football, providing them with an introduction to education through the medium of the game they all love, having the link to the prison and using the game of football to help develop the participants knowledge of the game, but also their own interdisciplinary skills such planning, organisation, administration, writing sessions plans, completing assignments and presenting in front of their peers theoretically and practically. “These are all huge characteristics of being an effective coach but also helping the participants with their future integration into their respective communities. The success of the programme has been down to the fabulous delivery style of Ger O’Brien and it is something himself and his club should be extremely proud. We would like to thank Ger and St. Patrick’s Athletic for their contribution and the management and staff of Wheatfield for their collaboration on such a worthwhile project for all concerned”.
Assistance Governor of Wheatfield Prison, Amanda Sutton said, “This course is a fantastic gateway into adult education involving both practical and class room based modules. The Irish Prison Service is committed to managing custodial sentences in a way which encourages and supports prisoner’s resettlement and reintegration into their communities. I believe that the skills learned through participation in this course provides prisoners with some of the core skills required for their successful reintegration. We are looking forward to continuing our partnership with the FAI and St. Patrick’s Athletic, and working on future projects together.”
This year’s G.A.A. Memorabilia Fair will give lovers of sport a chance to browse and search a large selection of match programmes, club histories, hurling, football, camogie, ladies football and handball publications, as well as other G.A.A. material in the pleasant and spacious surroundings of the The Dome, Semple Stadium, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Collectors and sellers are cordially invited to attend this event, where it is guaranteed, they will find plenty of material to interest them.
Sales positions, free of charge, may be booked in advance by contacting the organisers no later than 6:00pm, April 13th, next.
Admission for all will be €5, with accompanied children free. The venue will have disabled access; together with full facilities for tea and coffee etc. Same event is located within less than a five minute walk, from Thurles Railway Station.
TUS and UPMC sign agreement to establish World Leading Sports Medicine Clinics in Limerick and Tipperary.
Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) and world leading health care provider UPMC today (Monday, February 28, 2022) announced the establishment of state-of-the-art sports medicine clinics for the Moylish and the Thurles Campuses, to benefit both TUS and the wider sporting community.
President of TUSProfessor Mr Vincent Cunnane and Chief Operations Officer, UPMC in Ireland, Ms Trish Lane.
The agreement signed by UPMC Sports Medicine and Ireland’s newest technological university will see the first phase of the clinics open to the public, sports clubs and teams in the region, as well as TUS teams, as early as this summer.
The UPMC Sports Medicine clinics will ensure that TUS teams and athletes have access to the most up-to-date functional movement assessments, scientifically based strength and conditioning programmes, clinical diagnostics, including MRI scans, and equipment that will help with recovery and athletic development. The clinics will be equipped and staffed to provide evidence-based, quantitative measurements of strength and performance for optimal care.
Welcoming the agreement, President of TUS Professor Vincent Cunnane said the new partnership would not only bring the most highly developed sports training and sport treatment facilities to Limerick and Tipperary, but also allow for further research and education in the area of sport conditioning, rehabilitation, and injury diagnostics and treatment, by collaborating and developing academic and research programmes at TUS.
“As well as providing an integrated and modern service to sports people and teams in the Mid West, the TUS/UPMC partnership will work together to further develop these services with our team of researchers and scientists. TUS is also working closely with UPMC designing new academic programmes that will ensure our graduates have the most in-demand skills in this area when they graduate. In addition, an increased range of work placement options will be available at UPMC to TUS students,” said Professor Cunnane.
“TUS and UPMC share many common principles and goals, with our foundations in education and research and our ambitions to provide the most sought-after opportunities, services and facilities for the regions.”
“UPMC is proud to partner with TUS to bring the communities of Limerick and Tipperary access to advanced equipment and treatments close to home for athletes of all skill levels,” said Ms Trish Lane, (Chief Operations officer (COO), UPMC in Ireland). “Adding to the UPMC Sports Medicine clinic located in the WIT Arena in Waterford and part of the UPMC International Sports Medicine Network, these clinics will provide patients with outcomes-driven care while prioritising safe return to play.”
TUS Vice President Campus Services & Capital Development Mr Jimmy Browne said it is important that the development of these specialised sports clinics in Limerick and Tipperary not only benefit TUS teams and students but will further strengthen the facilities that TUS have available for our academic and research community as well as the wider sporting community.
“TUS has a strong community and sporting ethos. It is important that these clinics are available to teams and sports people not just in the university but across the Mid West. UPMC Sports Medicine offers one-on-one and group sports performance training and conditioning. Its evidence-based programme helps athletes of all levels increase strength and improve flexibility and core strength. The state-of-the-art equipment available for the first time in the region will help level the playing pitch for athletes in the Mid West and support them as they reach their full potential.”
UPMC is the official health care partner of the GAA and GPA and the official sports medicine provider to Meath GAA, Kildare GAA, Wexford GAA, Waterford GAA, Kilkenny GAA and Carlow GAA.
Counties Kildare and Tipperary are set to benefit from a new “Destination Experience Development Plan” that will bring to life the extraordinary thoroughbred horse tradition, the world-renowned horse people, their crafts and the breeding heritage that is synonymous with Ireland.
Fáilte Ireland, Kildare and Tipperary County Councils launched the Thoroughbred Country Destination Experience Development Plan to drive and sustain tourism in Kildare and Tipperary by developing new and enhanced visitor experiences across both counties.
The five-year plan has been developed in collaboration with Kildare and Tipperary County Councils, and the Thoroughbred Country Steering Group. Ireland’s global reputation as a leader in the breeding and racing of the thoroughbred will be central to the plan, which will create a dynamic destination to attract domestic and international visitors and establish the region as the world’s leading thoroughbred experience.
You can read the report on delivering the world’s best collective thoroughbred visitor experienceHERE.
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