Sudden death of Irish Grand National-winning jockey, Ger Dowd

His native Dunshaughlin and his adopted town of Ashbourne are in shock following the sudden death this morning of Irish Grand National-winning jockey, Ger Dowd. He was aged 65.

Dowd won the 1978 Fairyhouse renewal on Jim Dreaper’s Brown Lad, making it a hat trick for the horse which had won under Tommy Carberry in 1975 and ’76.

He had started working with horses at Maurice Delany’s Sechnall House, before going to Tom Dreaper in 1972, retiring from racing a decade later.

He also played with Dunshaughlin, and was a member of the club's intermediate team that won the 1977 championship. Dowd also played minor and under-21 football with Meath.

Sympathy is extended to his wife, Bernadette, children and the extended Dowd and Carey families.

He is survived by his wife, Bernadette, daughters Geraldine and Susan, sons, Ian, David and Paul, daughters-in-law Joanne, Lorna and Alana, son-in-law Tommy, grandchildren Shauna, Sarah, Caoimhe, Liam, Kieran, Darragh, Aine, Liadh and Laoise, sisters Violet, Sylvia and May, brothers Val, Joe and Tom, father-in-law William Carey, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, extended family, work colleagues and a wide circle of friends.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.