Lambett, Simon
July 05, 2006
The Late Simon Lambert
The well-known Wexford publican, Mr Simon Lambert who died, had a special way with people, horses and the hurley.
Simon, who lent his name to Simon's Bar at South Main Street, had a talent for connecting with people but equally he had a unique intuition when it came to horses.
Aged 70, Simon died following a 10-week sickness.
His passing caused widespread sadness among a wide circle of family, friends and customers.
A keen traveller, he was on holidays in Miami in mid-April when he suffered a heart attack and was in hospital for three weeks before being brought home by air-ambulance to Wexford in May.
A native of Ballyrannel, Glenbrien, Simon was best known through the Main Street pub which he ran for 41 years. Before that, he leased a licensed premises on the Quay for a short period.
Under his stewardship, Simon's was never just a pub. It has been a home from home for many regular customers and a clubhouse for Wexford Festival Opera.
Down through the years, generations of singers and back stage crew have gravitated there for food, drink and craic, bringing an international standard to impromptu sing-songs.
He was as proud as punch when Simon's won the Festival Singing Pubs Competition in the late 1980's, 2001 and again in 2005 with the help of customers drawn from Wexford Light Opera Society.
If someone from abroad wanted to get in touch with a relative taking part in a festival they would ring Simon's and leave a message.
If a singer or musician had friends or relatives visiting, one of the first ports of call would be Simon's where there would be introductions all round. In this way, Simon Lambert was like an unappointed ambassador for Wexford.
The key was his easy ability to relate to people from all walks of life. Someone might walk in off the street for one drink and end up staying until midnight such was Simons talent for making people feel welcome and at ease.
Irish tourists from all over the country called back every summer and were made feel like regulars even though they only frequented the pub once a year.
Following his death, the Lambert family have received e-mails of condolences from all over the world, from people who got to know him during Opera festival stays in the town.
Simon grew up with horses on the family farm in Glenbrien and when he came to Wexford first, he broke horses for breeders as a sideline before buying Belmont Stud in Barntown in the late 1970's. He took out his trainers license in 1994.
The Wexford publican had what can only be called as great horse sense. He could look at a horse and recognise its potential straight away.
The best-known horses from Belmont Stable were Belmont King which won the Findus Chase (now the Paddy Power Chase) in Leopardstown in 1995 and Ferrigcarrig Crystal which he trained for a syndicate and which won a number of hurdle races.
Belmont King was sold on and later won the Scottish National.
He finished training five years ago but continued to breed horses.
Simon Lambert, the hurler began playing with St. Aidans GAA in Enniscorthy at the age of 18 and won four senior championships in a row with them in 1950's.
After leaving St. Aidans, he returned to Oylegate/Glenbrien winning a county senior hurling championship with them in 1963.
During the removal of the remains from Mulligan's Funeral Home to Bride Street Church, the funeral procession walked down the Main Street, passing by Simon's pub on the way.
At the Requiem Mass, many noted Wexford singers paid a final musical tribute to their favourite publican.
Simon Lambert is survived by his sons, Simon Junior and Nicky; by his daughter, Elizabeth and his brother Johnny.
A minute's silence was observed at Croke Park in Memory of Simon whose son, Nichcolas is on the Wexford Senior football panel and is a former Wexford hurler.
And the members of Wexford Borough Council passed a vote of sympathy with the Lambert family at their monthly meeting.
Courtesy of The Wexford People
July 5th 2006
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