Tributes have been paid to jockey Michael O’Sullivan, who died this morning following a fall at a race in Thurles last week.

From Lombardstown near Mallow in Co Cork, the 24-year-old has been remembered as an “exceptionally talented young rider”.

His family, who run a dairy farm, have been steeped in national hunt racing for several generations.

Mr O’Sullivan’s father William won the Foxhunters at Cheltenham in 1991 on Lovely Citizen, who was owned and bred by his grandfather Owen and trained by his uncle Eugene who also lives in Lombardstown.

Owen O’Sullivan started the family horseracing tradition by breeding a number of horses and got the family involved in point-to-point racing.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin paid tribute to Mr O’Sullivan, describing him a “talented rider who inspired many”.

Deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of jockey Michael O’Sullivan.

A talented rider who inspired many.

My sincere sympathies go to Michael’s family, his friends and colleagues in the racing world.

— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) February 16, 2025

In a post on social media, Tánaiste Simon Harris said that Mr O’Sullivan was “an incredible talent taken so young”.

Local Mallow councillor Pat Hayes, who knew the family, said the death of the young jockey was just devastating news.

He said he knew Mr O’Sullivan from his time with the local pony club, and he was always an excellent rider, and his family are steeped in national hunt racing for a number of generations.

Mr Hayes said it was just a horrific accident, and news of his death was very sad and all in the local community are thinking of the family and praying for them.

Fine Gael councillor for Mallow Tony O’Shea said news of the young jockey’s death was just shocking for his family, for the whole parish, and for the racing community throughout Ireland.

The CEO of the Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board, Darragh O’Loughlin, said that Mr O’Sullivan, was an “exceptionally talented young rider”.

“Michael will be deeply missed by everyone in racing who had the pleasure of knowing him,” he said.

Suzanne Eade, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland, said that Mr O’Sullivan was a gentleman whose “talent shone through for big-race success on National Hunt racing’s greatest stages”.

“He was loved and respected by all who knew him, and everyone can be proud of his many achievements, both on and off the racecourse,” she said.