Kieran is a Master Saddler and Qualified Saddle Fitter registered with the Society of Master Saddlers. He served 25 years in the British Army as a musician in both the Irish Guards and Blues and Royals, and began his training as a saddler while in the Blues and Royals. He left the Regulars in 2013 and began his civil career as a saddler in the Highlands of Scotland. He continues his service in the Army Reserve and serves as the Master Saddler and Trumpet Major for the Scottish and Northern Irish Yeomanry. Kieran is one of the last two people who make the traditional Highland deer pony saddles, the other person being his partner Jocelyn Danby, and together they are helping to keep this particular part of Scottish traditional saddlery alive.
With his 2023 QEST Scholarship, Kieran received training in harness making and collar making from two highly respected Master Harness makers, Mark Romain MBE and John MacDonald, to help develop his existing saddlery skills and increase the types of saddlery he can offer to the equestrian community of Scotland. There is a shortage of harness makers in Scotland, and there are no collar makers, which limits the options for driving enthusiasts who have to rely on old and scarce harnesses and must travel far down south to find a collar maker.Â
