If we can show it is possible to identity him after all this time it may deter other people from kidnapping horses," he said. Infamous Shergar-kidnapping case closes in on its 30th Anniversary SHERGAR was arguably the most valuable and famous racehorse in the world. Did They Trade Horses In The Columbian Exchange? of Shergar. Members of the 34-share syndicate could face huge losses if he is damaged. . If they had wanted to steal a horse, they couldnt have found a kinder horse,' said Doreen Swinburn. From that, she was able to confirm that it was, indeed, the IRA who took the horse, killed it shortly afterwards and buried it near the Northern Ireland border. One of the yarns that grew out of that day is that when the younger Swinburn treated himself to an ice-pop, the vendor offered a cheery Have a nice, day, son, not realising he was serving the Derby-winning jockey. Cosgrove didnt doubt this was Shergar but it was impossible to tell if the horse was even alive. Derby winner Shergar was kidnapped by an IRA gang from a stud in Co Kildare 17 years ago. It was believed Shergar - valued at 10m - was taken by the IRA, which was short of money and looking for new sources of funding. The disappearance of the iconic racehorse, suspected to be the work of the IRA, has fascinated people for more than three decades. She draws out of her handbag during our interview a horseshoe given to her by the retired farrier who used to shoe Shergar every month. However the kidnappers soon realised that getting the ransom was going to be harder than they thought and killed the horse. He's dead." Shergar In 2008 an investigation by the Sunday Telegraph claimed that within four days of being kidnapped and held at a remote farm senior IRA chiefs ordered the horse be released. He knew that I was really just trying to tell the story, Alison Millar says of how she persuaded Stan Cosgrove to speak openly about a painful episode in his life. That September, after Shergar finished a disappointing fourth in the St Leger, the Aga Khan decided to retire his prize horse from racing and return him to stud at Ballymany. Shergar, 40 years on: Codenames, kidnap, clairvoyants and a And he came up to Walter and he grabbed his jacket. 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. But no contact was made. And Shergar wouldnt let his jacket go.. The events of February 1983 threatened that ecosystem. More are on the way. In a rare and exclusive interview last week, Mr Fitzgerald, now 78, frail and with a full head of white hair, quietly recalled the most terrifying moment of his life, as he was driven away from the stud by three armed men. 1 Ruffian. but he had a great head that way. 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? It was the world's most famous racehorse when it was kidnapped by an armed IRA gang in 1983 and disappeared forever. 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. Revered Irish racehorse Shergar was taken at gunpoint from Ballymany Stud in County Kildare on February 8, 1983, and never seen again. She says: "He would have been in the middle of it.". The next day, another call came through with the following message: The horse has had an accident. Security was very lax.". And Walter was laughing. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Alison has no doubt. Two stayed behind to "guard" the groom's family and Mr Fitzgerald was forced into a car. Police have now passed the skull to the Garda team at Naas, in Co Kildare, which is responsible for the When Alison set out to make the documentary, she figured that 35 years after the kidnapping and the new atmosphere in Ireland - at that time the Troubles were at their height - tongues may have been loosened and people would be more willing to talk about the incident. But the horse was kidnapped by an armed gang in 1983. The lad with me is a farmer's son, and he knew immediately that the skull came from a racehorse. 8 Incredible Facts About Red Rum (Records, Stats, Foals The incident has inspired several books, documentaries, and a film starring Mickey Rourke. When she spoke with people, she found them friendly but reticent to speak about her chief subject. The gang struck as stud head groom Jim Fitzgerald and his family were relaxing after dinner at their home in Ballymany, near Newbridge in County Kildare. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. But there was an important difference between the two. But detectives believe he is hidden away in an isolated spot. Tommy Foley, from Tralee in Co Kerry, said he found the remains of the stallions skull last Saturday during an annual clean up of a glen outside the West Ireland town. However, it is still possible to see, hundreds of feet below and stretching to the horizon, the most sparsely populated terrain in all of Ireland. Far from having one owner to get the ransom from the IRA had to deal with the multiple owners of shares in the horse some of whom did not want to set a precedent by paying a ransom. But Prime has become a playground obsession, Belfast celebrates Deaf Awareness week with new production Expecting, Comedian Hal Cruttenden on using divorce from Derry wife as show inspiration: I did run it past her. From there, the scene moved to Maxwells farmhouse, at a remote location outside Belfast. She laughs at the memory before another thought occurs. Shergar's skull 'found in ditch' - The Independent The kidnap strategy was divided into three parts. Inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2011, First Down Dash is arguably the greatest race sire of all time. 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. Millars film is a forensic portrayal of Shergars kidnapping and contains definitive interviews with Cosgrove and Fitzgerald, both of whom died in the years afterwards. In 1981 he ran in six races, winning five of them. Shergar, 20 years gone but not forgotten But on that day in June 1981, the pair owned the day. Shergar Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. He was ordered to point out Shergar's box. Rumors abound that the horse was killed just a few hours after the abduction, but the true fate of the horse remains unknown. Doreen Swinburn cant remember the precise date, but Walter Swinburn did, at least, get another chance to say hello to Shergar far away from the thrilling crowds. His US Triple Crown performances ingrained his place in history. Certainly, the operation bore the hallmarks of an IRA plan in that it relied upon immaculate planning, thuggery, ruthlessness and the usual fetish for hokey codenames, delivered tersely down telephones. View our online Press Pack. One of them, with the revolver, was very aggressive," Mr. Fitzgerald told the Telegraph about his ride in the kidnappers car. solve mystery of who kidnapped Shergar How much should we talk about our private life at work? There was blood everywhere and the horse even slipped on his own blood. 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. His frightened family had followed kidnappers' orders to remain silent and it was 5 am yesterday before police were contacted. A shocked Mr Fitzgerald was able to give only a rough outline of the raid. The kidnappers had also failed to anticipate the reaction of the people of Ireland - a horse-loving nation - to Shergar's abduction. 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. An armed gang who stole Shergar, winner of the 1981 Derby from the Aga Khan's Irish stud on Tuesday night told a captive groom at the time that they would be demanding 2 million for his safe return. Alison stresses that the programme, which is screened next week on BBC One Northern Ireland, is a documentary, not an investigation, but it obviously required much research. ", Michael Stoute, who trained the horse to win two Derbys, said: "He was the best I ever had.". Shergar was so far out of sight that John Matthias, riding the second-placed Glint of Gold, admitted that in the tumult he was convinced hed won the race. But in emotional terms, Shergar also represented something that was even more priceless in 1981: an uncomplicated Irish success story. With an intense garda hunt taking place across the country and the ransom process now a shambles, a decision was made to end the operation. Some believe the IRA snatched the horse, as they were looking for new sources of funding around the same time. 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. In February 1983, at the height of The Troubles, Ireland faced a truly mysterious crime that remains virtually unsolved. And especially in that era, the shoulder pad and champagne era, it was very glossy. I had never been in the horse racing world before. He flew to Belfast to negotiate at the Europa Hotel. "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. "I would love to see this mystery resolved so that we all knew what happened to the horse's remains. But his disappearance remains a mystery. When proof was eventually presented, it was flimsy: a photo of Shergars head with a copy of a Belfast newspaper from February 9th held against it. In an apparent bid to receive a pay out, jailed IRA informant Seon O'Callagan claimed the horse died within 24 hours. The stallion had a white blaze mark on his face, four white "socks" and a distinctive racing style of running with his tongue hanging out - he was gentle, calm and kind. And they would go: yes, somebody knows, but we have to move on, love, we dont want to talk about it. Thieves stole a life-size statue of the triple Grand National winner, Red Rum, from a house in East Meon, Hampshire. Millars research brought her to Leitrim and the wild landscape outside Ballinamore. "I can still remember that night in that car with them lads. 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. Shergar's memorable ten-length Epsom Derby victory of 1981. Tom Foley, an independent member of Kerry county council, found the skull of a racehorse in a deserted gully near Tralee last Saturday. WebShergars body has never been recovered or identified. The Late Late Show ran a special on emigration before Christmas. The description speaks of the low ignorance of the moment. Scientific tests on a skull of a horse found in Ireland have ruled out the possibility that it was the remains of kidnapped racehorse Shergar. The men never reached an agreement. Kidnapped horse Shergar's fate unknown "There is a possibility that it was him because when Shergar was abducted there was a Kerry connection.". Once targets had been attacked, active service units would then slip back to the "safe houses" of the south to prepare for their next mission. Many in the Republic, including broad Republican sympathisers, would never have forgiven the IRA and its political wing, Sinn Fein, for machine gunning the equine pride of the nation in cold blood. In February 1983, at the height of The Troubles, Ireland faced a truly mysterious crime that remains virtually unsolved. In a neat turn of phrase, Alison says: "They thought this horse would be their cash cow.". Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. Shergar was kidnapped by the IRA and machine gunned to death Instead, they were dealing with a syndicate, most of whose insurance policies covered theft. 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. Then, after the Shergar fiasco, another supermarket boss, Don Tidey, was also kidnapped and a ransom demanded. I doubt anyone has been there for years. The kidnappers shrewdly chose their date to coincide with a horse sale at Goffs; the verdant roads were teeming with horse trailers. Indeed, it could well have been from the weapon used to terrorise the groom's family until the gang made their getaway. The bay colt was owned by the Aga Khan, the billionaire spiritual leader to 15 million Ismaili Muslims. The mystery man who went to Ireland to disappear. Many sources and investigators believe that he must be buried near Aughnasheelin, near Ballinamore, County Leitrim. His owner Le Mare always had the dream of winning the Grand National, so Red Rum began training for his new career in steeplechasing. Taking the horse was relatively simple and the details were recounted in newspaper reports that circulated around the world in the days afterwards. A sign on a railing leading to the stud read: "Please close the gate.". The body has never been found. That is something we haven't got," he once said. Gerry Reynolds, a businessman and politician who was born and brought up in Ballinamore, said: "There were always a lot of rumours that the individuals involved in the kidnapping of Don Tidey were also involved in the kidnapping of Shergar.". "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. Lawyer Owen Tebbs, who organised the syndicate for the Aga, said: "It is quite likely many have not taken out insurance. 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. The Aga Khan was amazing. But detectives admitted they know nothing yet about the gang. Stan was such a compassionate man at the top of his game. But it was a wonderful day and he rode a lovely competent race. WebShergar No one has ever admitted responsibility for the incident, and the remains of the horse have never been found. He was expected to be a source of profit for the syndicate which owned him. While there was a massive hunt for the horse and several different ransom requests were made, the horse was never seen or heard from again. Physically, he was a distinctive beauty: the white blaze on the nose, the four white socks. The Unsolved Mystery of Shergar According to the BBC, The body has never been found. There was lots of cussing and swearing because the horse wouldn't die. Mr Foley, who still has the head, said he had not yet been to the police about the discovery, but planned to do so soon. In February 1983, Shergar was kidnapped from his stable in Kildare, held for ransom, and brutally killed by his captors who havent been identified. It was believed Shergar valued at 10m was taken by the IRA, which was short of money and looking for new sources of funding. Native Dancer became so popular that his blood began to dominate the Thoroughbred breed. Most domesticated horses in the world today are used to ride and to do farm or ranch work. 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Shortly after 8.30pm on February 8, 1983, Jim Fitzgerald, then 53, the head groom who lived at the stud, heard a knock on his door. But I honestly don't think Shergar's grave will ever be found.". And when he was released, he spent two of three weeks with us.". "Two years earlier, supermarket owner Ben Dunne was kidnapped by the IRA and a ransom was paid. As the hunt for Shergar continued on both sides of the border, the gang's background was still a mystery. Sadly, Liam died suddenly before the making of the programme, but Kathryn is in no doubt he would have loved working on it, using his many contacts to bring fresh perspective to the mystery. Searching For Shergar will be on BBC iPlayer (Northern Ireland section) from Thursday night. And I wanted to capture this love story that Ireland had with this beautiful beast. Now, chief reporter Andrew Alderson has solved the mystery of Shergar's final hours, why his remains have never been found and uncovered the truth about the bungled ransom attempt that led to his demise. He didnt so much surprise the cognoscenti as exceed their wildest expectations. However, another line of dialogue was taking place through Ballymany Stud, where a caller gave the code name King Neptune the name the kidnappers had instructed Jim Fitzgerald to remember and pass on. 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. In February 1983, Shergar was kidnapped from his stable in Kildare, held for ransom, and brutally killed by his captors who havent been identified. he was worth an estimated $50 million at stud. 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.". Laurence White reports. New Book Examines Cold Case Mystery Of Epsom Derby Winner He rang the stud manager, Ghislain Drion, who then phoned Shergar's vet, Stan Cosgrove, who had also bought a share in the horse. In February 1983, The stud farm was Ireland's main racecourse and training grounds. Not only was Man o War one of the immortals of horse racing, he later became a top sire. Shergar mystery revived as skull is found | UK news | The Guardian O'Callaghan suggested the horse had thrown itself into a frenzy, injured a leg and that it was put out of its misery and "was killed within days even though the IRA kept up the pretence that he was alive". I understand that. But four hours later, he was released and found 40 miles away from the stud farm. No-one has ever admitted the theft of Shergar. But Ballinamore has form. On the night of February 8th masked gunmen invaded the family home of Jim Fitzgerald, the retired chief groom at Ballymany and a father of six children, took him hostage and brought him to Ballymany. 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). All rights reserved. When the news broke, media from around the world descended on the Republic and three leading racing journalists were asked to come to Northern Ireland in a phone call apparently from the kidnappers. By far the most popular set of events is that the horse, worth 10million in 1983, was taken for ransom by the IRA thinking it was owned by the fabulously wealthy Aga Khan who would pay a fortune to get the champion back. Shergar: The day the wonder horse was stolen - BBC News Copyright 2023 Irish Studio LLC All rights reserved. (modern). Named Horse of the Year in 1957, Bold Ruler was the first stallion whose offspring won more than $2 million in one season. Next Wednesday (8th of Feb) is the 29th Anniversary of the We want $3 million for him.". He had a lot of confidence in Shergar. Police have now passed the skull to the Garda team at Naas, in Co Kildare, which is responsible for the inquiry into the disappearance of Shergar in 1983. In June 1981 he threw his stable lad and bolted during a workout at Newmarket. Bold Ruler. They are expected to carry out DNA tests. A quarter of a century ago, the Ballymany Stud was shielded from the outside world by a five-bar wooden gate with a latch. ", In that, she was often assisted by Liam's widow, Kathryn Johnston. We want 2 million [ransom] for him," one said. The search for the last resting place of Shergar It was the world's most famous racehorse when it was kidnapped by an armed IRA gang in 1983 and 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. "When you stripped away some of the veneer, you realised that there was very little underneath," she says. 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