Funeral of jockey Michael O'Sullivan under way in Cork

The funeral is taking place in Cork, of jockey Michael O'Sullivan who died on Sunday, after a fall at Thurles earlier this month.

The 24-year-old Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey died in the early hours of Sunday morning at Cork University Hospital.

He had been in an induced coma since his last-fence fall from Wee Charlie at Thurles on 6 February.

His death came just five days shy of his 25th birthday on Friday.

Mr O'Sullivan shot to prominence when riding a double on the opening day of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, headlined by his Supreme Novices' Hurdle success on Marine Nationale, just months after turning professional.

The funeral cortège arrived at his parish church in Glantane almost an hour before his funeral service was due to begin at midday, having travelled the 3km route from his home in nearby Lombardstown.

Led by garda outriders, friends and neighbours had gathered all along the route to pay their last respects to his grieving family.

His coffin bearing the blue and gold flag of his GAA club Kilshannig was met at the church door by a guard of honour made up of over a dozen jockeys he would have raced with.

The coffin was carried into St John the Baptist Church by his father William, his only sibling Alan and his uncles.