THE RACING world, neighbours, family and friends paid a final tribute at the weekend to Paddy Mullins in his parish church in Goresbridge, Co Kilkenny, where they were told he had given a lesson “about living well and dying well”.
Goresbridge parish priest Fr Larry Malone, who was the chief celebrant of the Requiem Mass in the Church of the Holy Trinity, said Mr Mullins had fought the good fight and run the good race of life, doing everything well.
The racehorse trainer died last Thursday, aged 91.
Fr Malone told the congregation which included Comdt Michael Treacy, representing Taoiseach Brian Cowen, that the deceased loved and was dedicated to his work but never lost touch with reality. “Of all the trophies you can see in the Mullins household, there is one silver tray which takes pride of place and that is a silver tray given to him by the people of Goresbridge in 1984 to show their regard for him.”
Fr Malone said the trainer never got carried away and was a humble man who lived a live of dignity and respect.
The chief mourners were Mr Mullins’s widow Maureen, his daughter Sandra and sons Willie, George, Tony and Tom. Fr Malone told them that Paddy Mullins became a legend because he was dedicated to them and his work.
His grandchildren brought tokens of his life to the altar: his trademark cap, a form book, a camera and binoculars which he carried around all tracks he had attended over the years.
His brother-in-law, Paul Walsh, told the huge attendance of his loyalty to his family and said he was a loving husband who was good humoured to the end, even in the last “few difficult furlongs of his life” where there was huge family support.
Former jockey and friend Guy Williams said Mr Mullins had led a remarkable life and was a remarkable man. He and his colleagues knew when the trainer had a horse in form their role was minimal.
He recalled Mr Mullins’s historic Cheltenham victories in the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup with the famous Dawn Run, to the winning of the Irish Oaks in the Curragh with Vintage Tipple and Hurry Harriet’s win of the English Champion Stakes in Newmarket.
He said on one occasion at the Mullins house he saw a ladder propped up at the back of one of the barns. Asked why it was there, Mr Mullins told him if ever anything went wrong he could go back to painting barns again, a job he did before becoming a trainer.
The mourners included: former EU commissioner and minister for finance Charlie McCreevy; figures from the racing fraternity including, JP McManus; Ted Walsh; Paul Duffin; John Oxx; Ferdy Murphy; Noel Meade; Arthur Moore; Aidan O’Brien; John Hanlon; Jim Bolger; Charlie Swan and Tony Durcan.
Also among the mourners were opera singer Veronica Dunne, RTÉ journalist Colm Murray and representatives of the Turf Club, the Tote and Horseracing Ireland.