‘Very worthy’: Champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle to receive civic reception

Irish champion jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle will receive a civic reception from Donegal County Council for his many sporting achievements.

The 23-year-old from Letterkenny has won national and international titles, and was named Overall Donegal Sports Star Award for the second year in a row at the Donegal Sports Star Awards in January.

The call for Browne McMonagle to be recognised came from Fianna Fáil Cllr Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly. He praised the champion jockey for being a “role model” and outlined his achievements to date.

“I want to acknowledge and recognise as well the top trainers and jockeys that we have in Donegal and how well they’re doing,” said Cllr Kelly. “I feel that Dylan has also played a massive role in that.”

Starting out at nine years of age in 2012, Browne McMonagle went into competitive racing in 2015 and had his first winner in August 2015 at the Ballintra Races.

“He followed on then to Dingle Races Whit weekend where he rode three winners, which included the prestigious Dingle Derby,” said Cllr Kelly.

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“Dylan also competed in pony racing the following four years, where he was crowned during this time Dingle champion jockey three consecutive times. He had 26 winners in Dingle over the four years, winning in every race category in Dingle. He was Irish Field national champion twice and north west champion jockey four times. He finished pony racing in 2019, riding 218 winners in total. He then took out his licence to ride on the track in September of 2019, and joined the Joseph O’Brien yard.

“He was then crowned just last year, Irish Champion Jockey in 2025, the first and only Donegal person to achieve this outstanding reward. Over these few years, Dylan rode 453 winners all over the world: Ireland, England, France, Germany, Australia, Dubai, Doha, Saudi Arabia, America, and recently Hong Kong.”

Browne McMonagle has also had sporting success in boxing, with Cllr Kelly outlining his achievements as five-time Ulster boxing champion and holding a national boxing title in his earlier years.

Cllr Kelly said that Browne McMonagle’s parents, mother Caroline Browne from Letterkenny and father John from Glenswilly, as well as sister Orlaith and extended family, are very proud.

Fianna Fáil Cllr Ciaran Brogan seconded the motion, and jokingly disputed Cllr Kelly’s claims of Browne McMonagle being from Kelly’s native Glenswilly.

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Cllr Brogan added praise to Browne McMonagle as an "absolute superstar” and said he is “so professional and brilliant in every way”.

Mr Richard Gibson, Director of Finance, Corporate Services and Information Systems, said arrangements would be made with the Corporate Policy Group (CPG) to hold the civic reception.

Browne McMonagle joins Letterkenny world record-breaking athlete Caitriona Jennings and the 15-time All-Ireland Champions, the Donegal men’s darts team, in receiving civic receptions.