Leading jump jockey visits Castlelyons N.S.
Thanks to the efforts of príomhoide, Nelius de Roiste and his fellow múinteoirí, pupils in Castlelyons National School are well versed in their core subjects. Some of their other ‘specialist subjects’ include
hurling and horseracing, so it was a cause of much excitement when one of the country’s top national hunt jockeys, Davy Russell, visited last Friday.
Davy, whose day starts at 4.30am, took time out from a very busy schedule and for this, teachers and staff are most grateful. Jockeys are the original graduates from ‘the school of hard knocks’, so Davy’s words of wisdom were always going to be valuable. Most famous for his link up with Aintree Grand National hero, ‘Tiger Roll’, Davy has risen from modest beginnings to capture the biggest prizes in steeplechasing.
BACON & CABBAGE FOR DAVY
During the course of an interesting exchange, Davy spoke about having a good work ethic, being on time, respecting collegues, accepting defeat and dealing with injuries (he’s only recently back from an injury that left him on the sidelines for 11 months).
We also learned that he’s as happy in East Cork as the Middle East and that when it comes to grub, it’s ‘ bacon and cabbage’ all the way for the self confessed home bird.
He has plenty of local contacts and knew quite a few of the pupils’ parents and grandparents. He bought his first pony at Tallow Horse Fair and rode his first winner at Tallow Pointto-Points in 1999 on board ‘Spanish Castle’.
Fielding unvetted questions from curious six class pupils can be as daunting as facing Beecher’s Brook and when a query regarding betting came his way, he told his audience he never bet on horses following a bad ‘financial experience’ during his youth.
WELL DONE EMER
The young woman responsible for securing ‘an audience with Davy’ is Emer Hallihan, who wroted personally to the jockey as part of a class project. Emer has a deep interest in horses and her great grandfather was Jackie Carey, one of the region’s most famous blacksmiths (farriers).