The chief executive of the Irish Horseracing Authority, Mr Noel Ryan, has died aged 56. A native of Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Mr Ryan died on Monday in the Mater Hospital, Dublin, after a long battle with cancer.
Born on Christmas Day 1942, he was educated at St Mary's Christian Brothers, Mullingar and University College Dublin. He obtained a law degree at UCD and was called to the bar in 1979.
Mr Ryan joined the Civil Service in 1960 and served with a number of departments, including defence, finance, public service, justice and foreign affairs. He was assistant secretary of the Department of Justice from 1984 to 1985, heading the Garda and security division, and was previously principal officer in the department's law division.
He was appointed assistant secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1985 and served until 1990. In this capacity, he was a senior member of the diplomatic staff of the Anglo-Irish Secretariat and played a role in meetings of the Intergovernmental Conference.
In 1990, he became director general of the Incorporated Law Society, where he was responsible for overall management, policy formulation, strategic management and development.
His appointment in 1994 as chief executive to the IHA by its chairman, Mr Denis Brosnan, was a break with tradition given his relative lack of experience of working in the racing industry. However, he steered the new body through a series of crises, including a power struggle with the Turf Club and strike action by on-course bookmakers.
He was also responsible for formulating the industry's first five-year plan, the reorganisation of the Tote, and the establishment of a capital development fund for upgrading racecourse facilities.
The chairman, board, executives and staff of the IHA extended their deepest sympathy to Mr Ryan's wife and family.
In a statement, the authority said Mr Ryan, as a keen race-goer, "recognised that without a significant upgrading of facilities at Irish racecourses, it would have been extremely difficult to market the sport to a wider audience and attract young people to racing . . .
"The significant increase in prize-money, the capital development fund, the modernisation of the Tote and of the industry itself are a fitting tribute to his work."
Trainer and IHA member Dermot Weld said: "It is a very sad loss for Irish racing and a it's a terrible loss for his family. In his short time as chief executive of the IHA, he helped to co-ordinate all the different aspects and factions and moved Irish racing forward."
Mr Ryan's body will be taken from his home in Palmerstown, Dublin for a funeral Mass at 11 a.m. at St Philomena's church, Palmerstown, tomorrow, before cremation at Glasnevin ceremony.
He is survived by his wife, Una, and six children.