Conor Crowley, treasurer of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and former president of the Irish Federation, has died at the age of 71.
He was a partner in the Kennedy Crowley practice, founded by his late father, and a founding partner of the Dublin chartered accountancy firm, Stokes Kennedy Crowley, now KPMG. He retired as a senior partner at SKC in the late 1980s.
Former SKC managing partner, Mr Ron Bolger, described him as "an incomparable, larger-than-life driving force" in the firm's history. He was also a director of Navan Resources, Dock Holdings, and the Bank of Bermuda, and a former director of Calor Teoranta. In addition he had great international connections, particularly in his capacity as Honorary Consul-General for Monaco in Ireland.
A talented rugby player during his early years, he held as high a profile in the equestrian world as he had in business during his working life. Chairman of the Irish Horse Trials Society for many years, he was president of the Irish Equestrian Federation from 1992 to 1996. He was elected treasurer of the FEI in 1995 and was also chairman of the ill-fated World Equestrian Games project.
Horses and the equestrian scene were Conor Crowley's foremost loves. Having trained with Iris Kellett at Mespil Road, Dublin for his competitive forays into the show jumping ring, he went on to make his three-day event debut in Punchestown at the age of 60 with his beloved horse, Mr Tumbles.
His string of event horses, which were so brilliantly ridden by stable jockey Nicola Cassidy, were the delight of his life. He had returned from Germany last Monday afternoon, euphoric at the performance that had left his most recent equine star, Mr Mullins, in 18th place at the European threeday event championships in Luhmuhlen.
He chaired the FEI finance committee meeting in Lausanne the day before the championships started and flew to Germany, determined to fulfill his dual role as owner and FEI representative.
Mr Mullins's superb cross-country performance followed by a clear in the show-jumping gave Conor Crowley all he could have ever dreamt of. Filled with infectious enthusiasm and excitement, he was already thinking ahead to next year's Olympic Games.
He was a bon viveur in the truest sense. He loved life and he lived it to the full, loving nothing more than that his friends did the same. He and his wife Pat (nee Vernon) were superb hosts and the parties at Carpenterstown and Dolly's Grove - where his lethal vodka and grapefruit mixes were to be avoided at all costs - were legendary.
A brother of the late Niall, a former chairman of AIB, he is survived by his wife Pat, their three children, Vernon, Lisa and Fiona; brothers, Laurence, Tim and Fr Roderic CM; and sister, Marianne.
Conor Crowley: born 1928; died September, 1999