DUAL Paralympian Kate Kerr-Horan, a former member of the Branch, was guest of honour at the 60-year celebration night held recently by the Shillelagh Pony Club at the Woodenbridge Hotel in the Vale of Avoca.

Kate was interviewed by the night’s Master of Ceremonies Warren Furlong, a former District Commissioner of the Branch, who was among the many past members present – as was local Fine Gael Councillor Peter Stapleton.

Guests included Michael Essame, chairman of the executive committee of the Irish Pony Club, and the families of six founders of the Branch in 1964, among them Carmel Kinsella, whose late husband Larry was the first DC.

A special presentation was made to John and Mary Walsh for their continued support and dedication to Shillelagh Pony Club and to the IPC’s mounted games division.

John has trained many winning Shillelagh teams over the years at Junior and Senior level and special mention was made of the Branch’s All-Ireland Senior team, who won at this year’s Dublin Horse Show.

Mary is also a very successful trainer, managing many Under 10 All-Ireland winning teams.

As revealed in this column last week, Leinster and Ireland prop Andrew Porter, a former past member, sent a video message wishing the Branch many more successful years in the future, while a slide show of roughly 3,000 photographs depicted members enjoying and competing in all equestrian disciplines from the mid-1960s to the present day.

Special mention must be made of Brid Kavanagh and Sinead O’Toole, who organised the night and are now helping compile an upcoming book celebrating 60 years of the Shillelagh Pony Club.

It has been a busy period for the pair, as last night the Branch held their Social and Awards function in Murphys Hotel, Tinahely.