Former Senior Steward Ray Rooney dies Appointed a member of the Turf Club in 1986, Ray Rooney died suddenly last night. Rooney, who set up Rooney Insurances in 1964 and Rooney Auctioneers and Chartered Surveyors in 1966, has been a major figure within the racing industry for over three decades. He was Senior Steward of the Turf Club from July 2001 until December 2003 and was chairman of Galway Race Committee from 2004-08. On the racecourse, Rooney is best remembered for owning the ill-fated but great hurdler Golden Cygnet, a winner at Cheltenham in 1978. At The Curragh today, trainer Dermot Weld stated "Ray Rooney was a close personal friend of mine and he will be sadly missed. He did a wonderful job at Galway racecourse over the years."
