Remembering Longford jockey Jackie Lynn who won 1916 Irish Grand National

When it comes to equestrian sport, county Longford has always punched above its weight. Local lads, Michael Kelly, Gerry Flynn and Eddie Macken have been leading lights on the show jumping scene over the past number of years.

Frank Berry who was born in Dring, Granard, Co Longford in 1950, went on to become one of Ireland’s top jockeys. Frank was champion jump jockey in Ireland ten times, and won the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Glencaraig Lady in 1972.

Many of our greatest triumphs, however, like the achievements of the Lynn family, were side-lined by other events and almost forgotten over the decades.

On Easter Monday 1916 a young Longford man won the Irish Grand National, his win, however was overshadowed by an even greater occurrence, in WB Yeats’s immortal words “All changed, changed utterly: A terrible beauty is born.”

The heroic effort of John (Jackie) Lynn in winning this race was almost entirely forgotten in the euphoria that swept the country after the rising of Easter Week 107 years ago.

John Lynn was born to Bridget Dunne and John Lynn in Edgeworthstown in 1886. According to his son Johnny the family were originally from Abbeylara. In 1901 he was a stable boy on the farm of Laurence Hope in County Meath.

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Jackie, as he was known, rode for Sir William Nelson in England for a few seasons, he finished third on Patlander in the Aintree Grand National in 1907.

With several winners to his credit, he was chosen to ride the Richard Cleary, trained All Sorts in the Irish Grand National on Easter Monday 1916. The betting had the midland horse at 5/1. All Sorts was owned by James Kiernan of Dysart, Co Westmeath.

The Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse was one of the great days out in Ireland, uniting all classes and creeds. Some 25,000 people gathered on April 24, 1916, at the racetrack for the biggest day of the Irish national hunt calendar.

It has often been said of the Easter Rising that the British were slow to react because most of their army officers and troops were at the races in Fairyhouse on Easter Monday, this would appear to be the case.

The focus of all the attention, until news of the Rising filtered through, was the thirty-year old Longford man, who rode a superb race to guide All Sorts to victory in the most prodigious race on the Irish circuit. The runner up was Punch, with the ominous sounding Civil War placed fourth. The jubilation that followed the win was lessened somewhat, when all involved had to leave on foot.

When news of the Rising arrived by dispatch rider, the British soldiers commandeered every mode of transport at the course, shut down the railways, leaving all those present stranded, including the horses.

With no transport to take him home All Sorts and his handlers had to walk back to the grounds of Bishopstown House in Co Westmeath, a distance of more than 100 kilometres.

In December 1925 Jackie married Katherine O'Donnell, a near neighbour from Cam. The couple had seven children, two of whom were also jockeys.

The family had more than their share of tragedies, William Lynn, Jackie’s brother also a jockey died when his mount Tulfarris came down, crushing him, in the Goresbridge Plate at Gowran Park in June 1919. He was survived by his wife and four young children.

In December 1945, Willie's son Johnny was also killed in a fall at Southwell, while riding ‘Red World', he was 38 years old. He served his apprenticeship at Rathbride Manor under M Dawson and J Dawson.

Jackie’s own son Michael was killed in a fall at Sandown Park in April 1955, when he fell from his mount ‘Glamorgan’ the 23-year-old had ridden over sixty winners in his short career, for trainers LS Elwell and Toby Balding.

Caption: Jackie Lynn's son Michael winning on Son of Marie, Michael was killed in a fall at Sandown Park in April 1955

Patrick Lynn, a brother of Michael's, was also a jockey of note. He decided on hearing of his brother’s death to give up the sport. However, the call was too strong and soon after, with his mother’s blessing, he resumed his career.

Jackie died of cancer at his residence, Cam, Edgeworthstown on December 7, 1938 at the age of 52, his youngest child was just two months old. He was interred in Edgeworthstown Cemetery.

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It is fitting that we remember Jackie Lynn and his very talented family this Easter, for their great contribution to the sporting history of our county.

My thanks to Johnny Lynn for his generosity in providing and sharing the historic photo of Jackie and All Sorts after their triumph on that famous occasion and for reading, correcting, and endorsing my article.

Johnny, who is in his 96th year, tells me he is being well looked after by the excellent staff in the Manor in Edgeworthstown.