AN iconic Limerick figure and horsewoman – Jill Moran is a well-known name both in the Munster region and across the equestrian community of Ireland. Originally from Hampshire in the south of England, Jill took the brave solo journey across the Irish Sea at just 18 years of age. A lifetime of memories and success later, Jill Moran and her Deelside Saddlery are located in Askeaton, Co Limerick.

“I first was introduced to horses when my mother bought a pony to harrow the field when I was just 13 years of age and the passion stemmed from there.

“I moved to Ireland when I first moved to Borris in Co Carlow. I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I left school and so moved to Ireland to hunt and did so four-days a week.”

It was from Carlow to Dublin the road led, and the MacDowell clan and yard was the next port of call. Based in Dublin, Jill rode and competed Mrs MacDowell’s show jumpers and travelled the length and breadth of the country competing at shows at a national level.

“I once travelled from Kilkenny to Cork on the train with the horses also on board!” reminisced Jill.

MARRIAGE

At a show in Tralee, Jill met her then to be future husband, Michael Moran whom she married in 1969 and which led to her move to the west of Ireland, and relocating to Askeaton in Co Limerick.

It was at this Deelside address she and her husband reared their three children, all born and bred into the equestrian world.

Success has carried through the bloodlines as all members grew up competing in the show, show jumping rings, on the hunting field and even on the point-to-point tracks.

Together Michael and Jill produced world class Irish-bred horses. Producing horses on great level they sold horses across Europe and further afield, even to customers in Mexico. They both won the Guinness Novice Championship on separate occasions, at the Dublin Horse Show and also on more than one occasion.

‘‘The RDS is a goal for every rider – the Guinness Novice was a major achievement – I won it with Lyric a talented little horse. He went on to be sold afterward to Switzerland.

“The Guinness Novice was one of the biggest novice classes in the country at the time for four and five-year-olds for novice horses riders under 30 – the equivalent to the five/six-year-old championship class now,’’ Jill explained.

Many horses passed through the Moran family. Those to include some more famous names. Heather Honey spent time as a four-year-old with Jill and Michael. The little mare went on to be part of the ‘dream team’ ridden by Paul Darragh, the Irish team who won the Aga Khan from 1977-1979 at the Dublin Horse Show.

Clover Bishop (by Clover Hill) was one of Jill’s special horses. As time went on, Jill’s focus turned from producing horses on a daily basis to enjoying competing her horse Clover Bishop. Although all the horses on the yard were always for sale, Bishop remained. Not the easiest of horses, he stood at 16.3hh and he and Jill had a bond – they jumped together at both national and international level.

He was one of the special horses in her life taking her to Grand Prix level. He especially loved the speed classes which stood at 1.30m at your local show.

Show jumper and friend Maria Burke and her former stallion Chippison represented Clare Equestrian and travelled to shows together with Jill and Bishop.

‘‘Bishop loved to jump and would attempt everything, bar the white gates at Millstreet – he just seemed not be able to measure them.

“We even made our own home made gates to practice but he never got the hang of them – unless they were hanging off my arms after running through it!’’ laughed Jill.

FAMILY

Jill and Michaels’ three children all carried that true horse-mad gene. Jill’s son David now runs the stud on the homestead yard and has bred and produced many successful competition horses.

Limestone Grey being a more recent success tale, as David bred him in Askeaton. The grey now competes under Italian rider Lorenzo de Luca at five-star level.

Granddaughter Robyn certainly has the love of the horse in her veins. Trained by father Brian, the 15-year-old takes inspiration from her grandmother and is doing her proud as she is currently competing at international level and had recent success in Fontainbleu last May where she won the 1.25m Grand Prix aboard Annette Fitzgerald’s Moores Pride (ISH), one of many of her recent successes.

DEELSIDE SADDLERY

Roughly 20 years ago, Deelside Saddlery was born. ‘It started off as two converted stables, which always had a leak in the roof! As the shop began to grow and develop into a business, we decided to build,’’ explained Jill and daughter Trish.

The shop is on the homestead and daughter Trish works in the shop alongside Jill. Trish, is very talented and works on tack repairs, rug repairs and merchandising clothing and riding equipment. Trish competed a lot when she was younger with many notches to her riding career belt as she represented Ireland as a youngster both on Irish Pony Club teams and eventing at Pony Europeans alongside brother David.

With a lifetime of horse experience, many people take the journey onto the N69 to pay Jill and Trish a visit for horsemanship advice as much as the shopping experience.

Jill certainly has heard it all over the years from questions such as: ‘‘How far back should the belt be on the horse’s belly?’’ to ‘‘why has my horse big legs?’’

SPARE TIME

When asked what she enjoys doing in her spare time, ‘I don’t have any!” is said with a laugh!

Jack Russell Billy however is never too far away and when spare time does appear, he and owner enjoy travelling around the Irish countryside.

“Advice to anyone in the industry or starting out?

That is a tough one! My life took its own course and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it – when I started work in Ireland I earned two pound a week but was truly happy.”

THE PONY CLUB ETHOS

The Pony Club ethos is something Jill holds close to her heart. ‘‘I instructed with the Pony Club for many years, it is a brilliant organisation for children to grow up in. I trained many Pony Club teams and members, taking over four teams to jump in England at Hickstead. Now international show jumper, Paul O’Shea being one of my many Pony Club graduates. I feel strongly about the ethos of the Pony Club – I think it is one of great importance and should be passed down to the next generation of riders.’’

Course building is another box ticked by the now Limerick lady. “I built the working hunter course for three consecutive years at Dublin in the past and worked on other courses at different shows around the country. The Dublin Horse Show was always a real family affair – between working hunter ponies, show jumping and show classes my three children Trish, Brian and David could be found in any arena.”