The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap steeplechase over an official distance of about 4 miles and 2½ furlongs,, with horses jumping 30 fences over two laps. It is the most valuable jump race in Europe, with a prize fund of £1 million in 2017. An event that is prominent in British culture, the race is popular amongst many people who do not normally watch or bet on horse racing at other times of the year.
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. They are ranked third in the world by World Rugby as of 18 March 2019. The team competes annually in the current Six Nations Championship, which they have won fourteen times outright and shared nine times in its various formats. The team also competes every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions. Ireland is also one of the four unions that make up the British and Irish Lions – players eligible to play for Ireland are also eligible for the Lions.
Ronan John Ross O'Gara is an Irish former rugby union player and current coach. O'Gara played as a fly-half and is Ireland's second most-capped player and highest ever points scorer. He is currently assistant backs coach for the Crusaders in Super Rugby.
Rupert "Ruby" Walsh is an Irish former jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen.
Thomas John Bowe is an Irish former rugby union player from County Monaghan, Ireland. He played on the wing for Ulster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions. In March 2012, after four years with Ospreys in Swansea, Wales, Bowe returned to Ulster for the 2012/13 season.
Rory David Best is a rugby union player from Northern Ireland and is currently the captain of the Ireland national team. He plays hooker for Ulster and is registered for Banbridge RFC. With over 100 caps for Ireland since making his international debut in 2005, Best is one of the most capped rugby players of all time.
James Peter Richard Heaslip is an Irish rugby union former player who played for Leinster and Ireland. He played as a number 8. Heaslip earned 95 caps for Ireland during his international career from 2006 to 2017, making him one of the most capped players in Irish national team history.
Saoirse Una Ronan is an Irish and American actress. Primarily noted for her work in period dramas since a teenager, she is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, and has been nominated for three Academy Awards and four British Academy Film Awards.
Paul Carberry is a retired Irish National Hunt jockey.
Declan Kidney is an Irish rugby union coach. He was the head coach of the Ireland national rugby union team from 2008 to 2013, where he won the 2009 Six Nations with a Grand Slam, winning the 2009 IRB Coach of the Year award. He was also the head coach at Munster, leading them to four Heineken Cup finals, in 2006 and 2008. He is currently Director of Rugby at London Irish having been appointed in March 2018.
The 2008 Grand National was the 161st official annual running of the world-famous Grand National steeplechase which took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 5 April 2008 and attracted the maximum permitted field of 40 runners, competing for total prize money of £450,640.
Tommy Carberry was a National Hunt jockey who was twice overall champion Irish jockey and five times champion national hunt jockey. He rode in his first race in 1958, and was crowned champion apprentice in 1959. He retired in 1982, after which he began training. He won the Grand National as a jockey on L'Escargot in 1975 and as a trainer with Bobbyjo in 1999. Carberry also rode L'Escargot to successive Cheltenham Gold Cups in 1970 and 1971.
The 2010 Grand National was the 163rd renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at the Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 10 April 2010.
Conor Daly is an American/Irish professional racecar driver. He currently competes part-time in the IndyCar Series, driving the No. 17 for Dale Coyne Racing with Thom Burns Racing. His best result was second at the 2016 Detroit Grand Prix race 1.
Jeffrey Patrick Hendrick is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Burnley and the Republic of Ireland national team.
The 1975 Grand National was the 129th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree near Liverpool, England, on 5 April 1975. The race was won by 13/2 second-favourite L'Escargot, ridden by Tommy Carberry, in a time of nine minutes and 31.1 seconds and by a distance of 15 lengths over 7/2 favourite Red Rum, who was thus denied a third consecutive win.
Katie Walsh is a retired Irish jockey who, in 2012, came third in that year's Grand National on Seabass, giving her the highest finish for a female competitor. Walsh is the daughter of amateur jump jockey, trainer and television pundit, Ted Walsh and the sister of top class jump jockey, Ruby Walsh. To date she has ridden three winners at the Cheltenham festival.
Don Cossack is a retired German-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing. Since his second race the gelding has been owned by the Gigginstown House Stud and trained in County Meath by Gordon Elliott. He was ridden by many leading jockeys including Nina Carberry, Davy Russell, Bryan Cooper, Barry Geraghty, A. P. McCoy and Paul Carberry.
