Cork Greyhound Stadium

Cork Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium on Western Road in Cork, Munster.[1] It is not to be confused with Curraheen Park.

Cork Greyhound Stadium
LocationWestern Road, Cork, Munster
Coordinates51°53′35.1″N 8°30′00.3″W
Opened1936
Closed2000

Origins

The first greyhound track in Cork was known as The Show Grounds Greyhound Track and ran from 1928-1935 but closed on 20 September 1935 following the decision to relocate to a site nearer the city centre. The site chosen was between Western Road and the north bank of the River Lee near the Wellington Bridge.[2]

Opening

Less than one year after the closure of the circuit at the Showgrounds the second Cork track opened for business on 13 June 1936. Pat O’Brien was installed as the manager.[3]

History

The Irish provincial tracks pressured the Irish Coursing Club for the right to stage Ireland's premier event, the Irish Greyhound Derby which had been exclusively run in Dublin. During a vote in 1939 the club agreed to let Limerick host the race followed by Cork in 1941 but due to the Foot-and-mouth disease in 1941 racing had ceased and when the ban on racing was lifted Cork unfortunately ruled themselves out from being able to host the event at such short notice.[4][5]

In 1942 the chance to hold the Derby was taken despite the fact that Cork could not match the prize money offered by the Dublin tracks. Record crowds attended the event won by Uacterlainn Riac. Cork never hosted the Derby again but in 1944 the Laurels was inaugurated at the track over 500 yards and would soon become a classic race.[6]

The Oaks was held at the track twice in 1939 and 1943 and a competition originally named the Pegasus Cup was also introduced. The Pegasus Cup was renamed the Perpetual Challenge Trophy and later the Guinness Trophy. The Bord na gCon installed a new totalisator system at four tracks including Cork in 1960 and one year later the Laurels switched to the slightly longer distance of 525 yards. Laurels winners included Spanish Chestnut in 1949 and 1950 and the legendary Spanish Battleship took the competition in 1955. Cork bookmakers Liam Cashman sponsored the event for many years.[3]

The Bord na gCon purchased the stadium in 1969 safeguarding the future of the track from redevelopment. The circumference of the track was 445 yards which consisted of race distances of 300, 310, 500, 525, 550, 70, 745 and 525 hurdles.

Closure

By the late 1980s the facilities were struggling to cope with the large Cork attendances and the Bord na gCon sold the site of the greyhound track in Cork in 1996 and purchased a green-field site in Curraheen on the western fringes of the city with the intention of building a brand new facility there. It took until the year 2000 for the Bord na gCon plans of a new track in Cork to come to fruition. The Western Road venue was redeveloped into the Western Gateway Building (science building of the University College Cork).[7]

Competitions

Track records

Yards Greyhound Time Date Notes
300Lucky Blunder16.6029.07.1967
300Bunny Browney16.5006.09.1973
300Hidden Fortune16.5008.09.1973
300Moonshine Again16.4513.05.1978
300Odell Supreme16.4330.08.1986
300Sarahs Moth16.3529.09.1989
300Moyra Road16.0008.11.1995
310Blondsman17.501950
310Odd Crest17.2008.08.1975
500Double Shadow28.821950
500Spanish Battleship[8]28.3029 August 1955Irish Laurels first round
500Last Lap28.151960
500Prince of Bermuda27.9512.09.1956
525Clogher Cross29.961950
525Socks On29.64May 1957
525Kilcaskin Kern29.45May 1957
525Dark Baby29.401962
525Tanyard Heather29.201964
525Wandering Sailor=29.201970
525Ivy Hall Flash29.1029.10.1971
525Kilbracken Style29.1008.09.1973
525Allemaine29.0530.10.1978
525Knockrour Slave29.0030.08.1980
525The Stranger [9]28.9504.09.1982Irish Laurels Final
525Airmount Grand[10]28.943 July 1989Irish Laurels 2nd round
525Airmount Grand[10]28.898 July 1989Irish Laurels semi final
525Airmount Grand28.8215 July 1989Irish Laurels Final
525Adraville Bridge28.7814.07.1990Irish Laurels Final
525Live Contender28.5017.11.1990
550Gorriencoona Border31.40Pre 1949
550Spanish Lad31.0007.10.1949
700Muskerry Cream40.851950
700Lucky Break40.0030.05.1964
700Anner Duke39.8015.05.1982
700Kilcommon Cross39.7014.07.1990
745Pure Hand43.0019.05.1962
745Wings of the Morning43.0023.06.1962=equalled
745Dempseys Glory42.9515.09.1973
745Experience42.8005.09.1981
525 HDeputy Lieutenant30.741950
525 HAshgrove Look30.1511.07.1966
525 HRace Riot29.7507.07.1973

References

  1. Genders, Roy (1975). The Greyhound and Racing Greyhound. Page Brothers (Norwich). ISBN 0-85020-0474.
  2. "Cork". Irish maps. Archived from the original on 2012-08-29. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
  3. Comyn, John. 50 Years of Greyhound Racing in Ireland. Aherlow Publishers Ltd.
  4. Fortune, Michael. Irish Greyhound Derby 1932-1981. Victory Irish Promotions Ltd.
  5. Fortune, Michael. The 75 Years History of the Irish Greyhound Derby. Irish Greyhound Review. ISSN 0332-3536.
  6. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
  7. Hobbs, Jonathan (2002). Greyhound Annual 2003. Raceform. ISBN 1-904317-07-3.
  8. "Spanish Bbattleship's new record". Wicklow People. 3 September 1955. p. 7 via British Newspaper Archives.
  9. "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 1982) September edition". Greyhound Star.
  10. "Airmount to win Laurels". Evening Herald. 15 July 1989. p. 34 via British Newspaper Archives.
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