'He captured the hearts of not just a parish but of a nation, and far beyond'

At noon on Wednesday, in the shadows of the gallop where Honeysuckle, Minella Indo and A Plus Tard were moulded into superstars, we said goodbye to the most precocious talent to have ever emerged from Knockeen. At the same time, we learned all about the one-of-a-kind teenager who squeezed so much into his 13 years.

The funeral mass of Jack de Bromhead took place at the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Butlerstown four days after his fatal fall at the Glenbeigh horse and pony races on Rossbeigh beach, a heartbreaking tragedy which shook Irish racing to its very core.

Ruby Walsh made the walk down the narrow country road towards the church with his wife Gillian and three of his children, while in his slipstream was Sir Anthony McCoy. Rachael Blackmore, Barry Geraghty, Charlie Swan, Davy Russell and Norman Williamson were also in attendance. Seven of the greatest jockeys Ireland has ever produced were paying their respects to a young man many believed was destined to be another. Alas, we will never get the chance to find out.

Parish priest Father Pat Fitzgerald said pony racing sensation Jack was "an incalculable loss, a young man who captured the hearts of not just a parish but of a nation, and far beyond" and for the best part of two hours we were given the most glorious snapshot of a life jam-packed with love and laughter.

Parents consoled their children. Children consoled their parents. We cried together, but we laughed too. It is what Jack would have wanted.

The funeral mass of Jack de Bromhead took place at the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Butlerstown four days after his fatal fallCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

With wife Heather by his side, Jack's heartbroken father Henry somehow found the strength to deliver a eulogy that brought us on the most beautiful journey through his son's life.

We learned how 'Jacksie' was into everything – driving tractors, football, hurling, rugby, riding ponies, showjumping and even surfing.

After telling us a hilarious story about Jack's first proper rugby match, where he "tackled everything that moved, including his own teammates", we heard about how he woke his mother and father up at 6am one day to tie his stock for a hunt happening hours later.

But pony racing became his biggest passion. Henry told us: "Last summer all he wanted to do was ride in a pony race. All I could think of was how all the places where these pony races are held are nearer New York than Waterford!

"Anyhow, the Shark [Hanlon] rang me one day to sponsor a race at Thomastown so I said, 'Of course I will'. Thomastown, only a half an hour away. Happy days. Shark even gave Jack a pony to ride, Silent Star.

"I'll never forget it. They weren't going much of a gallop and midway through the race he went from last to first and picked it up. In my mind it was exactly the right thing to do and for someone who had never ridden in a race before it was uncanny. He was just beaten on the line but it was the right thing to do."

After a few minutes Henry stopped and wondered: "I hope I'm not going on too much?"

Not a bit of it, Henry. Carry on.

He continued: "The other Sunday we went to Cahersiveen. We spent a great four hours in the car on the way down. Jack slept the whole way. We got there anyway and he was second on the first lad and got a bollocking because he should have won. Not off me. He was fourth on the next lad, then he won, and then he got a fall. He was fine but he was sensible. He said, 'You know what, Dad, I don't want to ride the last one, I don't think he has any chance'. That was fine so we jumped into the car.

"Four hours home. On the way home he just said out of the blue, 'Dad, I love pony racing. I get such a buzz out out of it'. I said to him, 'What about the fall?' He said, 'Henboy [the nickname he used to call his father], if you can't take the falls, you shouldn't be doing it'."

Henry de Bromhead (front left): 'One of the greatest comforts Heather and I have in his passing is he knows how much we loved him'Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

After the laughter came the love.

"One of the greatest comforts Heather and I have in his passing is he knows how much we loved him," Henry said.

"All our kids, they just know how much we love them and we know how much he loved us. I just ask any of you, whoever you love, make sure to tell them.

"If something like this happens to you, something so tragic, it's a great comfort. If you could take that away with you, we would really appreciate it."

Then, standing side by side, Henry and Heather told us what Jack used to say to them each and every night before he went to bed: "Night Mum, night Dad, love you."

And with that tears rolled down cheeks.

There had been lots of love and laughter before that as Heather's father and Jack's grandfather Andrew Moffat spoke beautifully of his grandson.

Moffat said: "As Jack grew and matured, the bond between him and I suddenly changed, with my status reduced from Jack calling me 'grandpapa', downgraded then to 'grandad', then to more affectionately 'gramps', and now to my present form of address, 'grandyboy'. I wasn't the only person downgraded. His most esteemed father was referred to as 'Henboy'.

"Jack, the grandson we all adored, had a serious number of interests beyond his fame as a horse rider. His interest in driving and diggers commenced at the age of four. On a visit to Marian and I, a digger was working on a site nearby.

"He took me and we stood for an hour watching the digger work. Shortly after, a birthday present Henry and Heather bought him was a large-pedal John Deere tractor. Marian and I then supplied the matching trailer, and in no time he had [twin sister] Mia in the trailer, hurtling around the stable yard at reckless speed.

"Marian and I had custody of a rather grand mobility scooter. On being introduced to the scooter at about six years old, Jack soon discovered the power control switch and had it up to full power from the very beginning. The scooter was then attached to a trailer that he made, and all the grandchildren participated in its use. Roller-skating became a passion, and the grandchildren soon had ropes attaching them to the scooter to pull them at breakneck speed around the laneways of our house."

There were many more stories that brought smiles to faces before he concluded by saying: "On the late afternoon of September 3, all our hopes and dreams for our beautiful, charming, charismatic, wonderful Jack were shattered forever. In a fateful riding accident, in the dark, murky, Atlantic waters washing on to Rossbeigh beach, his horse came down. Jack was thrown and in an instant the horse delivered a fateful blow to Jack's head.

"Our 13 years with our beloved Jack will never be forgotten, by his family and all our friends and colleagues who knew the happiest, loving child you could ever hope for. Jack, you will live in our hearts – and memories – forever."

Jack's younger sister Georgia paid tribute to her brother during the ceremony, saying he "was the kindest, most caring big brother I could ever ask for. He was never scared to stand up for people and was always there for you no matter what".

Jack's twin sister Mia also spoke from deep inside her heart, saying: "Jack, you were the best brother ever, I got so lucky when you were born with me. I will miss your cheeky smile that made all my friends fall in love with you."

Jack de Bromhead packed a vast amount of love and laughter into his 13 years.

Farewell, Jack. You made some impression.