Muriel Bowen, who died on August 23rd aged 74, was an undeniable force, both in her journalistic career and in the equestrian world.
Born at Clonea Castle in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, in 1926, she was introduced to things equestrian from an early age. Her father John Kingston Bowen, the county surveyor, and mother Nancy (nee Ryan), from Co Tipperary, were both steeped in the love of the horse, breeders of winners on the point-to-point circuit and producers of numerous champions in the showing world.
From an early age Muriel Bowen's enthusiasm and tenacity marked her out from her peers. Correspondence with world renowned figures such as Gen Dwight Eisenhower and Gen Montgomery resulted in a treasured collection of signed pictures, and it was no surprise that she broke into journalism at the age of 19, taking to her first job as a reporter for the Irish Independent with such success that her salary increased 10-fold within the year.
Horses regularly featured in her copy, but it was her interest in Irish politics that prompted a move to London in 1952 following numerous appearances in the Daily Telegraph's Peterborough column.
Shortly afterwards she was appointed to the William Hickey column in the Daily Express, having impressed editor Arthur Christiansen with her prized correspondence with Eisenhower and Montgomery.
Her love of horses made the request to cover the coronation of Queen Elizabeth a particular joy and, while researching the story, she hitched rides in the horse-drawn carriages making rehearsal runs to Westminster Abbey, dropping her off at her Fleet Street offices en route.
She stayed with the Express for three years before taking on her own column in the Evening Standard in 1955, when she spent much of her time writing a society column for the paper while moving further into political circles.
Muriel Bowen set about advancing her own political career, bidding for selection as a Conservative candidate. She achieved that goal only once and contested the Labour-held seat of West Ham North, but the Labour candidate, Arthur Lewis, held his seat with a majority of 16,000.
Muriel Bowen was elected to the London County Council in 1959, however, and served as councillor for South Battersea, becoming a well-known figure on the town planning and historic buildings committees.
When she went to America with a letter of introduction from none other than Sir Chester Beatty, she was appointed to the Washington Post, reporting on day-to-day events in the White House and Senate.
During that time she travelled extensively in America, Hong Kong, India, Malaya and Basutoland, taking time out as often as her work allowed to indulge in her favourite sport of hunting, meeting King Faisal in Baghdad and Field Marshall Ayub Khan, then president of Pakistan, who lent her a horse. When she returned the horse at the end of the day and offered her thanks to the president, he gave her his astrakhan hat, which then became her favourite headgear when she was reading the scriptures in church.
From 1967 until she was given a staff job in 1973, Muriel Bowen contributed society articles to the Sunday Times before being made regional government correspondent. She was despatched to Washington to report on President Reagan's inauguration. A devout Catholic, she covered several of the tours made by Pope John Paul II, including his visit to Ireland in 1979. Despite immersing herself in the world of politics, horses were always her true love. During her life she hunted with around 130 packs in Britain, America, India, Pakistan and Iraq, and wrote of her days with 35 different packs in Ireland in a book simply titled Irish Hunting, with a foreword by Lt-Col Sir Harry Llewellyn.
Horses always played a very large part in Muriel Bowen's life and, even when she was covering society events, she ensured that she could combine work with horses, travelling to Dublin for the Horse Show and, of course, Royal Ascot.
Throughout this time she continued riding, producing some top animals to claim wins all over England. Most notable among these was her champion cob, Cromwell, which won back-to-back championships at the Royal Show and, in 1980, was the first winner of the Bord na gCapall cob award, which was presented to his delighted owner in the international arena at Hickstead.
Three years later, Eddie Macken was given the job of presenting Muriel Bowen with another Bord na gCapall award, this time their points championship trophy, at the Horse of the Year Show in Wembley.
Muriel Bowen was a familiar bustling figure, complete with obligatory headscarf, in press rooms at horse shows all over England and Ireland, always keen to promote the Irish-bred horse, particularly the Irish-bred cob that was so dear to her heart.
She was a regular show correspondent for Horse & Hound and also wrote articles for The Irish Field on the advances of Irish exports on the English showing scene.
Predeceased by her brother Vincent, Muriel Bowen is survived by her sister, Caroline Bowen Walsh.
Muriel Bowen: born 1926; died, August 2000