Tag Archives: Arabella Scanlan

HORSE enthusiasts from all over the country have rallied to support a race in memory of a young Killaloe girl with special needs who touched the lives of countless people. In November 2019, Brianna Lynch (9) died in her sleep from SUDEP, Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy, leaving her family devastated. Her mother, Arabella Scanlan, a well-known Killaloe horse trainer, has organised the Brianna Lynch Memorial Cup for any rider aged 18 or under as part of the North Tipperary Foxhounds Point-to-Point, which is the last race on Sunday, February 19 at Lisboney, Nenagh at 1pm. Depending on numbers, the race may be split in two for riders aged 14 and under and for those aged 14 to 18. Entries opened last weekend on Plain Sailing for the third year of this competition. Numerous spot prizes have been donated by local businesses, friends, horse racing enthusiasts and people who only met Brianna once. Stephanie Cunningham travels from Cork for the …

A YOUNG jockey has told how she was inspired by a late Killaloe girl with special needs to resume riding in her memorial race, a few months after receiving her own Epilepsy diagnosis. Ali O’Brien (14) Tullaheady, Nenagh, was thrilled to win the Brianna Lynch Memorial Cup at the North Tipperary Foxhounds Point-to-Point at Lisboney, Nenagh recently. In November 2019, Brianna Lynch (9) died in her sleep from SUDEP – Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy – leaving her family devastated. Her mother, Arabella Scanlan, a well-known Killaloe horse trainer, provided Ali with one of her horses, Bridget, to ride in the memorial race for her daughter, a few weeks after the teenager had decided to get back on a horse following her own Epilepsy diagnosis in December 2021. Ali didn’t want to go back riding in December and January in the wake of her Epilepsy diagnosis. When her medication wasn’t working, Ali often wondered was this how Brianna, who was …