My name is Bernard Killeen. I live in Clonfeigh, Inch, Co. Clare. I went to school in St. Clare’s School in Ennis where I spent many happy years.

I play soccer with my friends in the Brothers of Charity and I love country music and in particular Mike Denver and Declan Nerney.

My family has lived in Clonfeigh for over five generations and there has always been horses on our farm. My father bred Irish Sport Horses and I’ve been going to fairs and horse sales for as long I can remember.

These journeys are always a very social outing and the car would be full with other horse enthusiasts, such as Mossy Kennedy and Kevin Barry and lots of sandwiches and flasks of tea to keep the show on the road.

Shook on!

Horses would be sold and you’d be bringing another one home for the neighbours. Always a great day when the phone call home would be made to say the sale had been shook on!

I have helped Frank, my dad, look after the horses, clean out the stables and feed the horses morning and evening before work and after work. We have two mares at the moment between myself and my dad. This year’s foal is just sold!

My speciality is loading and unloading mares and foals. I love the day out at the shows where I meet my friends. I first met horsewoman Edel Curtin and her family at the Ennistymon Show where I helped show Edel’s mare Corgigg Dancer and her foal, Duchess.

Dancer is by VDL Arkansas and her filly foal Duchess is by Castlefield Kingston. I walked Dancer and Noel O’Shea walked the foal. The mare and foal placed first, starting off a great summer adventure for us all.

Big bonus

We next met at Charleville Show in Co. Cork where the foal qualified for the All Ireland Filly Foal final to be held at Moate. Then we went to Ennis Show for another win, followed by a trip to Kildysart, a very wet and dreary day.

Another show we went to was Clarecastle. I led Joules, another of Edel’s mares, in the big Banner broodmare class. Joules is by O.B.O.S Quality and her mother is Corgrigg Duchess.

There was a big bonus that day as Edel’s name was drawn as the winner of a free nomination to famous show jumper Shane Breen’s stallion, Golden Hawk. That was a brilliant prize to win.

The trip to Moate in late August was a fantastic day. I travelled with Edel, Noel and Edel’s daughter Kathleen. Dancer and Duchess were beautifully turned out for the occasion and Noel and I even got corsages to wear, compliments of Caroline O’Doherty, the local florist in Cooraclare.

Starstruck

Moate show was a big occasion with loads of excellent stalls and entertainment. Singer Declan Nerney was the highlight of the afternoon’s schedule and I was delighted as I’m a big fan of his.

However, this nearly led to our downfall as myself and Edel were so starstruck that we didn’t hear our names being called out over the tannoy several times and we nearly missed the final!

Myself and Noel led Dancer and her foal into the ring with Declan’s famous hit Stop The World And Let Me Off playing in the background. That song proved to be very lucky for us and Duchess was selected as the All Ireland Reserve Filly Foal Champion.

I was delighted with the day out at Moate and my neighbours and friends helped me celebrate.

After the successful summer, Edel and her family invited me and my co-workers from the Brothers of Charity to the Curtin’s farm in Kilmilhil where I got to show my friends the mare and foal that have given me such a great summer this year.

We had another wonderful day out and lots of great memories and friendships made. I love horses and I hope to have more success in the future.