The Irish possess a mystical, possibly genetic relationship with the horse. The late Frank Burke is a splendid example of the horseman all horse-lovers aspire to be.
Frank Burke with Siscero, winner of the 2016 Dublin Horse Show Puissance at 7-feet, 3-inches and ridden by Shane Breen / Noel Mullins photo
A constant outpouring of messages of sympathy flew at the sad news of the passing of Frank Burke―West of Ireland horseman and lifetime follower of the Galway Blazers Foxhounds. The messages expressed what so many were thinking: a great warrior, kind and caring, inspiring, a joy to meet, smiling and good-humoured, hospitable, strong, a passion for life, steely determination, brave, tough and positive. Some said they admired his deep faith, a gentleman who suffered in silence from a dreadful illness over the last twenty years, yet remained pleasant and uncomplaining.
Frank knew he was not fighting his battle alone. He has his family in his corner and particularly his beloved wife Bernie, a trained nurse who was his ‘rock,’ sharing both his good days and bad days. And he had sons and daughters, all living as a close family unit. His son David said that his father gave a whole new meaning to the word, tough, recalling when the Hospice Nurse called to the house to attend to Frank only to be told he was out on the farm painting a gate!
Monsignor Cathal Geraghty, a friend of Frank, celebrated Requiem Mass and remembered many occasions when Frank was struggling to survive yet another bout of surgery when the whole Parish were praying for him, only to notice a few days later, seeing Frank in the congregation attending daily Mass!
One day, Professor John McCabe, Frank’s long-time consultant of twenty years, was doing hospital rounds with his students. Frank’s medical file was so large that a student asked, “When did this man die?” Frank appeared from behind a curtain and announced, “I am far from dead yet!”
Frank never allowed his illness to define his life. Many days were a struggle, but he always ‘got up, dressed up, and showed up.’ He went about his work farming, providing for his family, and producing top-class showjumping, eventing, and hunting horses that he sold in Ireland, the USA, UK, Germany, and Italy.
Spirituality
He approached every stage of his illness over the many years with the same steely determination that he approached every other challenge in his life. A deeply spiritual man, his trust in the Almighty got him through many near misses, and his devotion to Our Lady of Medjugorie saw him and Bernie visit the shrine in Bosnia on a number of occasions and take back souvenirs to friends that were sick or were going through difficult times. Frank often said, “Prayer is the key to Heaven, but faith unlocks the door.”
He had an active interest in people, horses, Gaelic hurling, and country life. The first item on any agenda when you visited their warm, welcoming house was a cup of tea and a selection of Bernie’s best home baking. He had very high standards on his farm as it was immaculately maintained, with lines of intact limestone walls, stud fencing creosoted, stables spotless, a pristine clean yard, and his horses a picture of health and contentment.
Horseman
Frank was born near Aille Cross, near Loughrea in County Galway, where Bernie and himself set down roots and reared their family on the family farm. He worked in Tynagh Mines for a time, which was the largest lead and zinc mine in the world, and gave well paid employment. And more importantly, they also had a Gaelic hurling team!
Frank continued farming and producing horses while Bernie worked in the nursing profession. Frank was the old style horseman, possessor the instinctive skills to penetrate the minds of his young horses, re-schooling difficult horses or those not broken properly, and produce many that went on to international and Olympic standard. His neighbour, Galway Blazers Field Master Willie Leahy (uncle to America’s Tony Leahy, MFH) said, “Frank had gifted horseman’s hands and strong legs, so horses went forward for him. Work came easy to him, and he could catch, hold, and ride any type of horse. Frank produced a lot of horses for me and travelled to shows all around the country, and he could win with middling horses and good horses. My children learned so much from Frank about horsemanship and showjumping.”
Producing Horses
I recall Frank hunting with the Galway Blazers, and he was always on a youngster. He never rushing them while introducing them to hounds and being in the company of other horses. This was the way he also made his showjumpers, which kept them fresh and busy. He campaigned them all around Ireland and especially at the Dublin Horse Show. Amongst the best-known horses that Frank produced were Imperial King by Impeder that he bought at The Ballinasloe Horse Fair as a three-year-old. He broke and produced him before selling him to the Giovanni twins and went on to jump for the Italian international Olympic team. Bantry Bay by Leabeg, bred by Paddy Fox, turned out to be another outstanding horse that was purchased by Germany’s Hans Nagel, and he represented Germany in Olympic eventing.
Fellow showjumper Kevin Moloney recalls Frank as a formidable competitor in the showjumping arena and told me about Clonlee Temple, a chestnut mare by Middle Temple that was bred by Frank’s neighbour Bridie Donnellan.
The horse refused to jump water and Kevin took him hunting with the Galway Blazers as a four-year-old. Kevin was due to ride him in the Dublin Horse Show but got injured, so the owner replaced him with another ride. The horse started to stop, and they had difficulty selling her. Frank took her over and in time sorted out her bad habits in the hunting field and developed her trust. He sold her to the British Olympic rider John Whitaker who had Milton at the same time. Clonlee Temple became his main speed horse and won many indoor and outdoor competitions as well as competing in the Volvo World Cup Qualifier.
Frank was a specialist in three-year-old loose jumping and would have a string of three-year-olds at the Dublin Horses Show and the Millstreet Show in Cork. He collected his quota of first-place ribbons on many occasions. For six months prior to the Dublin Horse Show of 2016, Frank and his son David kept and schooled the Puissance winner Ciscero, who jumped 7-feet, 3-inches. It was a proud family occasion when David represented Ireland on the Junior Eventing Team, riding the home-produced Diamond Class by Diamond Lad.
Hans Nagel, who travelled annually from Germany to buy Irish horses, recalled, “Myself and George Kettelgardes bought a lot of eventers and hunters from his yard. Frank had a superb eye for a young horse, and schooled them to perfection.”
Gaelic Hurling
East Galway is the home of Galway Gaelic hurling and Frank was an exceptionally talented hurler playing for his local club in Kilnadeema and the Tynagh Mines Team. He trained for the Galway Senior Hurling Team and was called up on a number of occasions but horses were both his life and his living so he could not spare the time. His neighbour Peter Kelly remembered Frank in his playing days as a formidable opponent. He recalled the comment of four-times All Star and Galway All Ireland winner Iggy Clarke saying that Frank was the toughest player he ever marked, and was a great loss to Galway hurling as he rated Frank as the best hurler that he had ever seen play the game. I personally recall that the only time Frank did not leave his house to greet you when you arrived in his yard was when there was a Gaelic hurling match on television. You were welcome to join him, and he would give a rousing animated commentary, not unlike GAA broadcaster Michael O’Muircheartaigh, highlighting all the key moments of the game that you had missed with incredible energy and infectious enthusiasm.
Grallagh Harriers
It was a proud moment when his son David formed the private family pack, the Grallagh Harriers in 2007 with his daughter Lorraine as Field Master and Joint-Master and his other son Frankie whipping-in. Frank and Bernie seldom missed a day’s hunting, and always came with the jeep boot packed with refreshments, which made them so popular with Irish and overseas visitors as they sampled genuine Irish hospitality. In 2019 I filmed a documentary with cameraman Ken O’Mahony for the film production company, Horsin’ Around, of a day hunting with the Grallagh Harriers from The Krush Pub. Despite undergoing debilitating medical treatment at the time, Frank followed the hunt, driven by his daughter Sinead.
That day, we filmed a few shots with Frank, and I asked him what was special about Irish horses. He replied, “They start slower and last for longer, a bit like the Irishman!”
I know his family were proud that Frank was their father, and all those who knew him were proud of knowing him and share many fond memories of him to the present day.
As the funeral cortege left Frank’s family home for the church, the families’ Grallagh Harriers pack burst into spontaneous song as their dear friend was taken to his final resting place.
After Requiem Mass in Saint Dympna’s Church in Kilnadeema, Frank was laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery in the shadow of the valley and the coverts on the Hill of Knock Ash close to his original family home where he first came into this world. It is also where Frank spent many happy hours making young horses with the Galway Blazers, and latterly seeing his children hunt with their family pack the Grallagh Harriers. The sound of the hunting horn had to wait; the passing of Frank Burke was so emotional for everybody.
Posted August ?, 2021
Noel Mullins is a photojournalist, lifelong foxhunter, and author of The Dublin Horse Show, The Irish Hunter, In Search of the Kerry Beagle, and other books on Irish horse sport. Visit him on the web.