Paddy Dunican, manager of Kilbeggan racecourse for over 35 years, died suddenly on Saturday. He was 61.
During his tenure at Kilbeggan, he transformed the Co Westmeath track into one of the most popular in the country, frequently attracting large crowds during its summer meetings, including the Midlands Grand National in July.
A successful auctioneer and businessman, Dunican was Athlone Business Person of the Year in 2018 and was named National Hunt racecourse manager of the year on three occasions.
He was a high-profile figure within the Association of Irish Racecourses and Kilbeggan was one of five tracks that last year formed United Irish Racecourses on the back of dispute with Horse Racing Ireland over the distribution of media rights income within the sector.
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Dunican’s sad death took pace just weeks before Kilbeggan’s 2024 campaign begins later this month.
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