Thompson received a phone call the next day from the kidnappers - they said, "The horse has had an accident. The kidnapping became one of the great mysteries of the 1980s, with constant reports of sightings, but despite a nationwide search no trace of him was ever found. He was a 25/1 shout for the Derby after trainer Michael Stoute decided to prepare him after his maiden season in 1980. An Irish police spokesman said they had appealed for Mr Foley to come forward immediately so the find could be investigated. Those who looked after and rode Shergar agree that he was one of the kindest, gentlest racehorses ever to grace the racetrack. His son, James, an insurance claims expert and a family friend, knowing of O'Callaghan's information on the kidnapping, went to visit him in jail in Northern Ireland and, even though he passed on letters saying Shergar was dead, these were not accepted as proof. He's dead." Millars research brought her to Leitrim and the wild landscape outside Ballinamore. "There Was Blood Everywhere": What Really Happened to Shergar Instead, Mallon ordered that the horse be shot. But in emotional terms, Shergar also represented something that was even more priceless in 1981: an uncomplicated Irish success story. Before the kidnap, Shergar was worth 10m. He received a rapturous welcome on his homecoming to the Curragh for the Irish Derby. A quarter of a century ago, the Ballymany Stud was shielded from the outside world by a five-bar wooden gate with a latch. It was believed Shergar - valued at 10m - was taken by the IRA, which was short of money and looking for new sources of funding. If there was a silence, it was because there is no true answer to the question: why would anyone do such a thing? His 306 foals went on to produce such legends as 1964 Derby and Preakness winner Northern Dancer, who himself sired 645 named foals; Mr. Shergar: kidnapped by the IRA, killed, buried in a bog in north Tom Foley, an independent member of Kerry county council, found the skull of a racehorse in a deserted gully near Tralee last Saturday. And Shergar wouldnt let his jacket go.. Police said the kidnappers did just that after driving away with their prize. He became the first racehorse to win the Kentucky Derby starting from last place winning in under 2-minutes. Another would not cause any attention. Mallon, a convicted killer originally from Co Tyrone, eventually became part of IRA folklore after shooting his way out of one prison and being lifted by helicopter from another. Owner the Aga Khan sold 34 shares in the horse at 250,000 each and kept another six for himself, valuing it at 10m. There was lots of cursing and swearing because the horse wouldnt die. The source said that the two handlers, one clutching a machine gun, went into the remote stable where the horse was being held and opened fire. "A clue? "His wife had found out what he was up to and warned him that if he walked out of the door [to look after Shergar] he would never walk in again," said the source. Shergar won at a canter and the chief anticipation at Epsom was whether the sensational three-year-old and his young jockey would handle the enormous expectation. Mr Kehoe, a former Sinn Fein councillor, said he had not sued O'Callaghan because nobody believed him: "He was working for both sides - that's as much as you need to know about what he has to say.". In a neat turn of phrase, Alison says: "They thought this horse would be their cash cow.". In 1981 he ran in six races, winning five of them. He was gelded at a young age, so he was never used for breeding. It was a very bloody death." Don Tidey, an Irish businessman, was found alive in woods near the town after being kidnapped by the IRA at the end of 1983, months after Shergar's disappearance. Shergar, a beloved thoroughbred racehorse worth over $15 million, was kidnapped from his stable in County Kildare by a gang of machine gun-wielding men in balaclavas. I understand that. He made it look so easy. Shergars body was never found, and the case remains a mystery. No-one has ever admitted the theft of Shergar. Sign up to IrishCentral's newsletter to stay up-to-date with everything Irish! Who Owns The Largest Horse Farm In Kentucky? As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Thats it.. He had a lot of confidence in Shergar. He was expected to be a source of profit for the syndicate which owned him. "People know where Shergar is buried, but the rehearsed silence is unbreakable.". Among others, one reason the investigation was so difficult for authorities was because the kidnappers had chosen the day before Irelands big Goffs racehorse sale to abduct Shergar, when many horseboxes were being driven across all of Irelands roads, thereby making it hard to differentiate him. The lad with me is a farmer's son, and he knew immediately that the skull came from a racehorse. Lawyer Owen Tebbs, who organised the syndicate for the Aga, said: "It is quite likely many have not taken out insurance. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. It was a very bloody death." "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Now, chief reporter Andrew Alderson has solved the mystery of Shergar's final hours, why his remains have never Using a coded phrase - King Neptune - that had been given to Mr Fitzgerald during the kidnap, those holding the horse soon began secret negotiations with a representative of the Aga Khan. And they would go: yes, somebody knows, but we have to move on, love, we dont want to talk about it. Alison, through her old-fashioned journalistic techniques of following up every lead, gained interviews with two leading IRA figures, one of whom appears in the film. "No horse deserves an ending like that - let alone one as special as Shergar. Shergar, 40 years on: Codenames, kidnap, clairvoyants and a I was just fascinated by the story. Thieves stole a life-size statue of the triple Grand National winner, Red Rum, from a house in East Meon, Hampshire. What has been discovered almost definitively, according to a close course, was that two handlers, one clutching a machine gun, went into the remote stable where the horse was being held and opened fire. Last night police chief Mr Murphy appealed to the gang to return Shergar unharmed. But last night, more than 24 hours after the raid, they had made no contact. Published by Jennifer Webster on November 28, 2022. They promised more details at noon Yesterday. Irelands economy was ransacked. There was widespread relief when at the end of his career, instead of being shipped to one of the large American studs as expected, Shergar was returned to his birthplace of Ireland. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. "After the 1981 hunger strikes, the IRA had increased in strength and support, but desperately needed more funds. Two stayed behind to "guard" the groom's family and Mr Fitzgerald was forced into a car. . The horse was much-loved and a celebrity in itself, and was a five-year old embarking on his second year out to stud when three armed men wearing masks burst into Ballymany threatening the head groom Jim Fitzgerald and his family. However, according to one impeccable source - a former IRA member who spoke through an intermediary - not even O'Callaghan had been told the full truth of Shergar's final hours, because the gang was so embarrassed by what happened. This process is referred to as a caricature of police bungling, as the actual police werent notified until 8 hours after Shergar was taken and the men were long gone from the area. I had never been in the horse racing world before. One of the most famous animal kidnapping cases the in the world took place in Ireland thirty years ago this Thursday. Searching for Shergar: BBC documentary recalls dramatic tale solve mystery of who kidnapped Shergar There was lots of cussing and swearing because the horse wouldn't die. The next day, another call came through with the following message: The horse has had an accident. The Provisional IRA, strapped for cash to fund its campaign, hatched a plan to kidnap the animal for ransom. Fitzpatrick was forced to identify Shergar and was then driven in a van for about half an hour before he was released in the village of Kilcock. Shergar: The day the wonder horse was stolen - BBC News What happened next is not for the fainthearted. Olly Murs breaks down on stage over Caroline Flack 'regret', Fulham's Pereira stretchered off with suspected broken leg in worrying scenes, One dead and seven injured as knifeman goes on bloody rampage near club, 'Meghan killed me - then she mourns me', says estranged dad Thomas Markle, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Jubilee Farm: The sanctuary in Larne helping refugees and asylum seekers, Life as a pet dog photographer: My rescue dog saved me, now Ive turned my passion into a business, What is Prime Hydration? The Aga Khan, Shergars owner, sent the horse for training in Britain in 1979 and 1980. Stan was such a compassionate man at the top of his game. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. It was several minutes before the horse, which was in agony, slowly bled to death. Shergar's former jockey Walter Swinburn, who rode Shergar at his famous race, was distressed by the findings. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. When I was making the Disappeared with Darragh McIntyre, there was a genuine fear about things from the past. One group took the horse. A gate leading to the stud was unguarded and unlocked when the gunmen arrived at 8.30 on Tuesday night. Well, I would say, somebody knows. Kidnapped racehorse Shergar was the centre of a 2 million ransom mystery last night. Were William Butler Yeats alive, his passion for Celtic myth and legend would seize upon the story of Shergar. He flew to Belfast to negotiate at the Europa Hotel. As his second season approached, Shergar was expected to cover at least 55 mares throughout 1983. On the racecourse, as a two- and three-year-old, Shergar had been nothing short of sensational, winning the 1981 Derby by 10 lengths, a record distance that century for Britain's biggest flat race. Here we look back on how the Mirror reported the crime at the time. And she further uncovered a piece of evidence hitherto unknown to the public - that the kidnap gang dropped a magazine from a sub-machine-gun when fleeing from the stud farm. I hope one day we can get to the bottom of what happend. ", Michael Stoute, who trained the horse to win two Derbys, said: "He was the best I ever had.". Fitzgerald was then forced into their car at gunpoint. They found the horse just as they imagined. Alison, who has been fascinated by the disappearance of Shergar since her early years, researched the existing material meticulously and found some of the so-called 'exclusives' less than accurate. The horse was the easiest modern-day winner of the Epsom Derby. Shergar was a legend long before his unfortunate end, winning Irish and English Derbys - the latter by a record margin. Infamous Shergar-kidnapping case closes And Walter was just an excellent horseman.. As his son, Bernard, answered it, three masked and armed men barged their way in and started ordering the family around. But he wanted his champion to stand at his Irish stud. They demanded a 5m ransom from the syndicate owning the horse, which included the Aga Khan. He refused to entertain the idea of bowing to the kidnappers' demands. Hes dead.. "No horse deserves an ending like that - let alone one as special as Shergar.. He was caught five miles away by fireman Andy Sheldrick. Tommy Foley, from Tralee in Co Kerry, said he found the remains of the stallion's skull last Saturday during an annual clean up of a glen outside the West Ireland town. Shergar There was a lot of shrugging and shaking of heads, while Martin Kenny, a Sinn Fein councillor for the town, said: "I have never heard anyone say they knew where Shergar was buried or what happened to him.". . WebShergar No one has ever admitted responsibility for the incident, and the remains of the horse have never been found. In an interview given to the Telegraph in 2008, a source claimed that Shergar was machine-gunned to death by the IRA. At his home, Jim Fitzgerald was dismayed when I broke the news about exactly how the horse he had cared for had died. Des Leadon, the head of clinical pathology at the Irish Equine Centre, who has investigated a number of horse corpses that were believed to have been Shergar, said DNA testing would have to be used to determine if the skull belonged to the missing horse. Some believe the IRA snatched the horse, as they were looking for new sources of funding around the same time. The abduction sparked a massive hunt, but, according to a former IRA terrorist, Sean O'Callaghan, Shergar was killed within days. There was lots of cussin' and swearin' because the horse wouldn't die. He then hung up. Lord Lucan and the Mafia In 2008, the Sunday Telegraph took a closer look at the cold Shergar, a beloved thoroughbred His reluctance to talk is understandable. I set out thinking surely after all this time, there will be somebody wholl say, Ach yeah, he was buried in such a such a place. He seemed unbeatable - until the St Leger, when he trailed in fourth after starting a hot favourite. It is 25 years since a world-famous racehorse was kidnapped by the IRA, never to be seen again. The Late Late Show ran a special on emigration before Christmas. The brass nameplate on Secretariats stall door will remain there. Shergar "That's not a very nice thing to do," he said slowly, with typical Irish understatement, as he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. All of this was reported by an international media fascinated by the lead investigator, Superintendent Jim Murphy, a trilby-wearing veteran with a laconic and highly quotable manner: They must be running into the 50 now, he said drily of the clairvoyants and physics who offered leads and dreams. A former IRA member told the Sunday Telegraph: "Shergar was machine-gunned to death. He was buried at the winning post of the Aintree Racecourse, which is still a destination for his fans. "I would love to see this mystery resolved so that we all knew what happened to the horse's remains. They forced him to release the horse, before they also took him away with them. . Searching for Shergar, BBC One Northern Ireland, Thursday, June 7, Receive today's headlines directly to your inbox every morning and evening, Please check your inbox to verify your details, I thought Id be hauled over the coals, but my boss suggested I see a doctor. I think Wally and [trainer] Michael Stoute not me, I can assure you, I was the one who was in bits were very good with him. The kidnappers shrewdly chose their date to coincide with a horse sale at Goffs; the verdant roads were teeming with horse trailers. Love Irish history? Another engaged a trio of racing correspondents from London to travel to the Europa Hotel in Belfast to await further instructions. Even then, the consensus was that if a ransom were paid, every racehorse in the country would become a potential target. When proof of the horses wellbeing was required, the kidnappers instructed someone to go to the Crofton Hotel and report to the front desk as Johnny Logan. Two armed men forced their way into the house. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, The disappearance of champion racehorse Shergar remains a mystery, English jockey Walter Swinburn, 19, on Shergar in 1980, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Tests carried out at the Irish Equine Centre, in County Kildare, found the skull belonged to a much younger horse than the racing legend was when he was abducted. In this case, the Read more. The most valuable horse in the world disappeared without trace. Nobody has ever been charged with the theft. His frightened family had followed kidnappers' orders to remain silent and it was 5 am yesterday before police were contacted. The man, who asked not to be identified, said only an expert should kill a horse - there is a spot the size of a thumb nail on the animal's head which the bullet, or humane killer, has to hit to prevent suffering. A series of phone calls was made, ultimately to Stan Cosgrove, the renowned equine vet and a shareholder in Shergar and to Alan Dukes, the Kildare TD and then minister for finance. Furthermore, a prominent Provo-supporting family used to live in the village of Aughnasheelan, three miles from Ballinamore, which is surrounded by deep bogs where a horse's body could easily be hidden. Horses are often Read more, Horsehair is used for the crafts of horsehair hitching, horsehair braiding, pottery, and in making jewelry items such as bracelets, necklaces, earrings and barrettes. You can call me Arkle from now on, a voice told ITVs Derek Thompson when the phone eventually rang at 1.15 in the morning. Secretariat was buried in a 6 by 6-foot oak casket lined with orange silk, the color used by Claibornes racing stables. However, by then Mallon was under surveillance, the Garda were crawling all over Ireland and he felt it was impossible to move Shergar or free the horse close to where it was being held. The IRA has privately tried to blame renegade members for the kidnap, but Kevin O'Connor, a historian and journalist with top Republican contacts, dismisses this idea. 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"I can still remember that night in that car with them lads. They have narrowed the field, in a manner of speaking, down to a small townland called Aughrasheeling, not far from Ballinamore, and less than 10 miles from the Northern Ireland border. His peerless season, remember, coincided with the dark, muggy summer of the Hunger Strikes. Sadly still hasn't been found today just guessing. SHERGAR was arguably the most valuable and famous racehorse in the world. Former IRA informer Sean O'Callaghan, who is from Co Kerry, later claimed that the horse had been killed by his abductors who were unable to handle him. An Irish councillor claims he had discovered the head of horse racing legend Shergar. From revolutionaries to royalty, Toby covers the Security was minimal, which reflects a kind of misplaced innocence and trust when it came to Ireland and horses. Shergar began his first season of racing in September 1980 and ran two races that year, where he won one and came second in the other. Read more, Known in the industry as fake tails, these pieces, just like the best hairpieces for humans, are made from real hair and braided into existing locks to add length and volume. As scores of British journalists descended on Co Kildare, the hunt for Shergar turned into a media circus. We do not even know what kind of accents they spoke with.". By now there were up to eight gunmen on the scene. The Boomtown Rats released Banana Republic. At gunpoint, Mr Fitzgerald, a quietly spoken father of six, was forced to lead the gang to Shergar's stable and load the horse into a stolen horsebox that they had brought with them. Then, after the Shergar fiasco, another supermarket boss, Don Tidey, was also kidnapped and a ransom demanded. Shergar is insured for nearly 4 million, only a fraction of his value. It was believed Shergar valued at 10m was taken by the IRA, which was short of money and looking for new sources of funding. Unlike today, there were no electronic security gates, CCTV cameras or an intercom to gain access - even though the horses inside were sometimes worth millions of pounds each. And especially in that era, the shoulder pad and champagne era, it was very glossy. "After that, it was just a case of old-fashioned walking up laneways and knocking on doors and trying to track down people who had some connection with the case. There was lots of cussin' and swearin' because the horse wouldn't die. WebShergar - Born in County Kildare in 1978 and kidnapped by an armed gang in 1983. In an apparent bid to receive a pay out, jailed IRA informant Seon O'Callagan claimed the horse died within 24 hours. BBC News Shergar was taken by masked gunmen on 8 February 1983 and while it's never been been proven exactly what happened there are no end of theories. Epsom was wreathed in flowers and goodwill and a delight among the crowd at witnessing racing aristocracy: a rare champion, as much vision as animal. He opened it to find two men wearing balaclavas wielding guns - one of them said, We have come for Shergar. Sporting Controversies: The brutal, sad and mysterious tale of 1: First Down Dash, $89,707,366. They warned Mr Fitzgerald not to inform the police and said they would be in touch at noon yesterday with more details. There was blood everywhere, and the horse even slipped on his own blood. Shergar won the Espom Derby in England in 1981, romping home by ten lengths, which still remains the record for the longest margin of victory in the famous race.
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