Pat Taaffe died in 1992 in Dublin Hospital, aged just 62. His health had been poor for some time.

Taaffe is a National Hunt

National Hunt racing

National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...

 jockey who famously rode Arkle

Arkle

Arkle was a famous Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. A bay gelding by Archive out of Bright Cherry, his grandsire was the unbeaten flat racehorse and prepotent sire Nearco. Arkle was bred at Ballymacoll Stud, County Meath by Mrs. Mary Alison Baker of Malahow House, near Naul, County Dublin...

to win three Cheltenham Gold Cup

Cheltenham Gold Cup

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...

s between 1964 and 1966.

Arkle and Taaffe, the pair who dominated National Hunt racing in the mid-sixties, won the Irish National, the King George VI chase, 2 Hennessy Gold Cups, 3 Cheltenham Gold Cups and the Whitbread Cup.

Taaffe was also a capable winner without the help of legendary Arkle, he also won a fourth Gold Cup, 2 Grand Nationals and recorded 4 Irish Nationals.

After retiring as a jockey Taaffe went on to train Captain Christy

Captain Christy

Captain Christy was an Irish-bred and Irish-trained racehorse, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup as a novice.In spite of an alarming tendency to make mistakes, Captain Christy was one of the very best Irish chasers of his era and his 30 lengths demolition of Bula in the 1975 King George VI Chase at...

, 1974 Gold Cup winner, who was one of the only horses to be comapared with Arkle. Though his training skills were good, the former jockey was too modest for a trainer so his career did not flourish.