Early and Private Life
Aidan O'Brien was one of six children of Denis O'Brien (d. 1 December 2008) and his wife Stella (née Doyle). Denis was a farmer and small-scale horse trainer in the townland of Killegney, near Poulpeasty, in County Wexford, where Aidan grew up.
Aidan O'Brien attended Donard National School, located less than a mile from his parents' home. He subsequently attended secondary school at Good Counsel College, New Ross, also located in County Wexford. O'Brien is a member of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association, meaning that he does not drink alcohol.
O'Brien first started working professionally with horses at P.J. Finn's racing stables at the Curragh, County Kildare, and then with Jim Bolger at Coolcullen, County Carlow.
Aidan O'Brien is married to Anne-Marie (née Crowley). Anne-Marie's father, Joe Crowley trained horses at Piltown, County Kilkenny, where his tenure was interrupted in quick succession by his daughter Anne-Marie (Champion National Hunt Trainer during her brief time at the helm), his son-in-law Aidan O'Brien (who took over from his wife in 1993 but moved on to Ballydoyle in 1996) and then another daughter, Frances Crowley (who moved on to train on the Curragh for some years). Joe then renewed his own training licence for some years before retiring.
O'Brien and Anne-Marie have four children: Joseph (a jockey), Sarah, Anna and Donnacha. Joseph became apprenticed to his father and rode his first winner shortly after his sixteenth birthday, on Johann Zoffany at Leopardstown on 28 May 2009. Joseph rode his first group race winner on Beethoven, trained by Aidan, in the Desmond Stakes at Leopardstown on 12 August 2010. In 2012 O'Brien and Joseph, 19, became the first father-son/trainer-jockey combination to win the Epsom Derby, with Camelot.
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