Former national hunt trainer Michael O'Brien, 68, has passed away after a long battle with illness.
O'Brien was confined to a wheelchair after a riding accident in 1974 in the US, where he was a top jump jockey. But, after a long and successsful career as a trainer here in Ireland, two years ago he handed over the operation of his stables to son-in-law Denis Cullen.
Amongst his achievments as a trainer, O'Brien won three Irish Grand National courtesy of King Spruce (1982), Vanton (1992) and Glebe Lad (1999), while Bright Highway won both the Mackeson and Hennessy Gold Cups in 1980.
O'Brien's two Cheltenham Festival winners were Shawiya in the 1993 Triumph Hurdle and Kadoun in the 2006 Pertemps Hurdle final.
Barry Geraghty, who rode for O'Brien many times, tweeted: "Very sad to hear of Michael O'Brien passing away, he was a top class trainer and it was a privilege to ride for him over the years."
