Jane Mangan grateful to The Echo for giving her a start in racing journalism

A career that started out locally in horse racing took Conna native Jane Mangan across the world, and she uses her story as a source of inspiration to the next generation of athletes in Cork.

The RTÉ and Racing TV broadcaster was speaking at The Echo Women in Sport Awards when she gave a few words of wisdom to a room full of Olympians, national champions, and All-Ireland winners.

“My first job in journalism and I basically owe it my entire broadcasting career… because The Evening Echo put me on the map,” she began, telling the story of her transition from racing to sports journalism.

“I travel a lot for my job. I was in Qatar two weeks ago. I will be in Riyadh next week and do you know what, there's nothing like coming home and I am very proud to be a Cork woman. 

I think in the world of sport, Cork is so competitive.

“So for each of you guys nominated, you’re monthly winners to be here, you've obviously done extremely well because the competition in this county is top drawer. And I think it makes us all better to be perfectly honest. It's really nice to be back.

“I think when I won a monthly award, it was at Rochestown Park, and I think it's over a decade now, which makes me feel very old. But it's really nice to see you guys assemble there with your family and friends.

“I'm not going to go into too much detail because I'm really old. But I just want to share how all these years later, from when I was riding as an amateur rider, realistically not thinking I could make a living from sport, it just goes to show how unpredictable life is. 

"Honestly, if you gave me this script back when I was winning an award for The Echo, I wouldn't have believed it."

LAUNCHPAD

That was the start, as a writing career turned into a worldwide broadcasting career. Jane never forgot where she came from, and she credits the power of sport for allowing those moments to happen.

“I was within touching distance of the royal procession and I just hoped that the television was on at home and the girl from Conagh wasn't just feeling the pulse now, she was in the heart of the action,” Jane explained.

“I just remember thinking even being the smallest part of sport it can make anything happen you know, happenings that you once were was otherworldly that you only read in Hello! Magazine. 

"It became real and it became normal and I remember thinking as I checked my Aer Lingus flight status, I remember being relieved that I had enough time to get to the gate I wondered what my granny would think.

“I remember thinking how would she feel watching that, whether she'd be proud... of course she'd be proud, something we never thought would happen. And I just got a little bit of comfort from knowing that both queens that day were watching from the same perspective. 

"And it didn't matter whether we were from Conagh or Watford or Windsor. 

At the end of the day, we're all the same, sport levels us all out, and it really was a humbling moment because I knocked it out of track. 

"I'll get back there next year but I'm really happy to be here because this is where it all began.”