To anyone with even a passing interest in horse racing – and the National Hunt side of things in particular – the green and gold hooped silks and white cap of John P. McManus are a familiar sight. For there is hardly a race run in Ireland or England on a given day in which the Limerick man is not represented.

The nub of the argument put forward by those who have a problem with McManus’ current status is that he doesn’t live in the country (all the time). As a result of which, of course, he does not pay tax. Answer me this though – what is tax? A financial contribution to the coffers and for the betterment of the state. And as will be outlined in the coming paragraphs, the facts about what JP McManus does in this regard anyway say more than the petty nonsense drummed up by those who would seek to portray in some negative way the man I was fortunate enough to meet once.

Indeed, a broader view of his contribution to the industry was revealed when he was rightly and deservedly honoured by another legend within the sport, Sir Peter O’Sullevan, recently. Those who chose to have a ‘pop’ at JP, at his contribution to Ireland and the fact that he lives outside of the country should consider some of the following:
On the Sunday after he received his award, four of JP’s horses won, trained by four different people. This is not unusual. Last year, it was estimated that the racing industry accounted for 22,000 jobs in this country. With JP reportedly having 400 horses in training, with 33 different trainers, in Ireland, it’s not fanciful to suggest that McManus’ contribution is the reason a fair percentage of those posts are occupied. Not to mention the fact that a further ten handlers across the water – and possibly one in France – have stock belonging to him.

At a time when numbers of horses in training are down and prize money has dropped too – though it must be said that aggregate takings have been considerably up at recent weekend meetings – it would not be exaggerating to suggest that JP having horses therein is among the principal reason some establishments are still afloat.

This is only a hypothetical example, but, as is generally the case, if a groom in a yard looks after two horses, and the man from Martinstown has ten horses in that yard – as can be the minimum in some places – that means five jobs. It must be said too that when he acquires a horse that he has not always owned, he leaves it with the current trainer that has it. As with James Motherway who trains Bluesea Cracker to run in the famed colours and Prunella Dobbs (Farringdon). With no disrespect intended, to a relatively small operation, such support is a very big deal.

There’s something highly significant in that – leaving the horses where they originally were. The importance of it is thus: contrary to what many would like to portray or believe, JP McManus has never forgotten from whence he came. Indeed, his racing colours are those of his local GAA club, South Liberties, down in Limerick.

The JP McManus story goes much further than racing though. Yes, there all those horses in training and all the employment that generates – he purchased Jackdaw’s Castle for Jonjo O’Neill after the death of David ‘The Duke’ Nicholson so that the Cork native could work predominantly for him, employing 52 people in the process.

Right, so the latter is in England, but then there’s Martinstown Stud, the McManus’ home place where his injured, retired or holidaying horses reside. It too has its own staff and there are a series of races named the ‘Martinstown Opportunity’ series which offer a window of just that to lower grade horses and jockeys striving to make the breakthrough to the highest level.

However, it is perhaps away from racing that the great man’s generosity is best seen. During the function at which Sir Peter presented him with his award, there was an auction in aid of charity. First prize in same was a round of golf with Lee Westwood. McManus forked out £80,000 for something he could most likely arrange with a text message. But that’s the nature of the man, looking out for and giving to others.

Perhaps that can be seen to an even greater extent outside of the racing world. Not only in terms of his continued backing of the Limerick and South Liberties GAA teams and his pro/am golf outing which has raised €95m for charities in the midwest, but also due to the scholarship scheme which McManus established in 1996 to enable pupils of his former school attain third level education. The scheme has since been extended to cover the island of Ireland.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny recently recognised this when he presented this year’s recipients with their awards and is to be commended for recognising how important somebody like JP is to Ireland, and especially in these trying times. This year, 125 students received scholarships which will have a total value of over €24,000 each when completed. So far, 1,300 students have benefitted from the scheme.

There might be plenty of people who could do more to improve the current situation in this country but JP McManus more than does his bit and should be acknowledged and admired rather than admonished.
The Guvnor...

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