Tributes pour in for Henry de Bromhead's teen jockey son Jack (13) after Glenbeigh tragedy

The teenager sustained fatal injuries in an incident that occurred while jockeying at the Glenbeigh Festival, which began on Saturday and had been due to take place as well on Sunday.

‘Our entire community is shocked’ said Cllr Michael Cahill in relation to the tragedy.

An air ambulance was called to the scene as racegoers looked on, horrified and upset.

"The whole place is in a state of shock. It’s such a terrible thing what is after happening,” Cllr Cahill said.

"Our sympathies go out to the family. I saw him ride in Cahersiveen only last week. This is awful what’s after happening.

"It’s put a cloud of sadness over our meeting forever. People are here with tears rolling down their faces this evening. This is always a happy, joyous, family festival. Within a short few hours everything has changed. It’s impacting on everyone,” Cllr Cahill said.

The boy’s father, County Waterford-based Henry de Bromhead, is one of horse racing’s most respected figures. He has saddled 18 winners at the Cheltenham Festival and has won each of its three biggest races – the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, and Gold Cup – on multiple occasions. He has trained the winner of the last two Champion Hurdles (Honeysuckle), as well as the last two winners in the Gold Cup: Minella Indo and A Plus Tard.

De Bromhead and his wife, Heather, have three children. Jack was a twin brother to Mia and older brother to Georgia.

Catherine Cournane of Cahersiveen Races committee expressed her deepest condolences to the de Bromhead family. She explained that de Bromhead rode a winner at the Cahersiveen festival just one week previously.

“On behalf of the Cahersiveen Races committee, our deepest condolences to the young man’s family, to his extended family, friends, and racing community,” she told The Kerryman. “It’s a terrible, terrible tragedy when someone so young can lose their life doing something that’s bred into them.

“He was with us in Cahersiveen last weekend and we had a tremendous weekend, and we had only just wished Glenbeigh Races the best for this weekend. We thank everyone for supporting us last weekend, and at times like this, communities have to get together…we have lost a talented young man who had a great future in front of him.”

The Chairman of Dingle Race Committee, Colm Sayers, said the tragedy has shocked the entire pony-racing circuit.

"It’s just devastating what’s happened. Pony racing is a tight knit community where everyone looks out for each other. Our hearts are broken. Our sympathies go out to the family. When something like this happens it really puts things in perspective,” said Colm.

A spokesperson for the Glenbeigh Racing Festival declined to comment when contacted by this newspaper.