Molony Statue Fund donates E10,000 to IIJF

On Sunday (22nd February 2015) at Naas Racecourse, the Molony Statue Fund Committee presented a cheque for €10,000 to the Chairman, Ruby Walsh and Secretary, Andrew McNamara of the Irish Injured Jockeys Fund (IIJF).

This money is the first part of the fundraising drive for the IIJF as part of the monies raised alongside the fund for the Molony Brothers Statue.

The raceday in honour of the Molony Brothers will take place on Saturday 25th April at Limerick Racecourse.

The highlights of the day will be the unveiling of the statue of Tim & Martin Molony by Dublin-sculptor Paul Ferriter who won the competition to create the statue.

The raceday will also include a charity race in aid of the IIJF with some high profile riders taking part - more details of the riders and the raceday to be announced in the coming weeks.

The racing community came together over the last six months with the Molony Family to honour the multiple-champion jockeys Tim and Martin Molony, the Limerick brothers who dominated the racing scene in Ireland and the UK in the 1940s-50s.

The auction and raffle at the gala ball in the Dunraven Arms Hotel on Wednesday 17th September 2014 raised just over €60,000 for the bronze statue as well as the Irish Injured Jockeys Fund and along with donations and further support of the raceday, it is hoped further funds will be raised for the IIJF.

Peter Molony (son of Martin) of Rathmore Stud said: “We are delighted to have raised E10,000 in funds so far for the Irish Injured Jockeys Fund, a charity close to all our hearts and we hope that we can raise the same again between now and the race day on 25th April.

"There is tremendous support out there for this project to commemorate my father and Uncle Tim and we are very proud that it will be erected over-looking the parade ring at Limerick Racecourse not far from where the champion jockeys were raised.

"My father is just shy of his 90th birthday and we are very much hoping he will be there on the day to unveil the statue.

"We are working closely with Limerick Racecourse, the IIJF and Horse Racing Ireland to create a memorable raceday and would like to thank them all for their support.

"If there are any takers for our charity race I ask them to get in touch with me, the race distance is 1m, 3f and they will be riding against some very exciting names.”