Racing turns out in force at funeral of Peter Casey

Peter Casey's love of life and family, his colourful language and his passion for the Dublin Gaelic Football team were all mentioned many times at Wednesday's funeral mass for the 82-year-old trainer, who died last weekend.

The Church of the Assumption in Balscadden, County Dublin was packed to overflowing to bid farewell to one of Irish racing's most colourful characters, who lived all his life in Balscadden.

Fr Eugene Taaffe, who celebrated the mass, referred to Casey's descriptive way of using language, saying: "He'd use a lot of words you'd have difficulty finding in the English language. He was known to everyone, including his family, as 'Boss', and he was in every sense a character.

"He was a rough diamond but one of great value and he had a heart of gold."

Fr Taaffe also paid tribute to Casey's widow Junie. The couple were married in 1952 and, referring to how close they were, he said: "Junie had the patience of a saint."

In keeping with Casey's love of the Dublin team, the Sam Maguire Cup – the prize for being All Ireland Champions, which Dublin won for the third year in a row last year – was brought to the altar.

Andrew Cluskey, a lifelong friend, spoke of many trips to football games with Casey, whose daughter, Alison, spoke movingly of 'Boss' as a father and family man.

Trainers among the congregation included Jim Dreaper, Des McDonogh, Eddie Lynam, Garvan Donnelly and Paddy Griffin, while former handler Paddy Woods, who trained for Casey before he began training in his own right, was also in attendance.

After the mass Casey was taken to the nearby Old School Cemetery for burial. Typical of the man, there were no frills. His coffin was placed on a trailer behind a tractor as the farmer-trainer made his short and final journey. It was the way he wanted to go.

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