Youghal Greyhound Stadium

Youghal Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track located south of Youghal, County Cork, Ireland. The stadium is ten minutes walk from the town centre.[1]

Youghal Greyhound Stadium

Location	Claycastle, Youghal, County Cork, Ireland
Coordinates	51°56'24.5"N 7°51'25.4"W
Operated by	Irish Greyhound Board
Date opened	1948
Race type	greyhound racing
Official website

History

On 30 July 1948 a greyhound called Hackles Spring won the first ever race at Youghal. The seaside track on the Upper Strand was run by the Youghal Racing Company before Bord Na gCon took over in 1972.[2]

The circuit is 464 yards in circumference and the track originally raced on Tuesday and Friday nights. Finbarr Coleman was racing manager for thirty years, from 1972 until 2002. Main events have included the Blackwater Cup, Paddy Stakes and Aherne Memorial Cup.[3]

Brian Collins and Pat Leahy both had short stints as Racing Manager until 2006 when Kathleen Lennon (daughter of the well-known breeder and trainer Denny) took over and became Ireland’s first female Racing Manager. Lennon left in 2012 to take over at Kilcohan Park.

John McGrath was appointed as the Racing and Commercial Manager from 2012.[4]

In 2012 the Irish Greyhound Board announced plans to spend over €100,000 to deliver improvements at the track. The improvements were completed in April 2014 and Tom Hayes, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine opened the newly built facility. The refurbishment including a new judges box, and cost €134,000 in the end. Hayes complimented Bertie Lupton and the board of directors for their efforts at Youghal.[5]

It was announced that Curraheen Park and Youghal Greyhound Stadium had helped raise more than €5m for charities, clubs and other good causes in 2015.[6]

Operations

Racing takes place every Monday and Friday evening and the facilities include a fast food outlet, a bar, totalisator betting and inside and outside viewing areas. [7]

Race distances are 325, 525 and 550 yards [8] and the track has several feature events in the Irish racing calendar.[9]

Track records

Current [10] [11] [12]

Yards	Greyhound	Time	Date	Notes
325	Lemon Clover	17.34	11.10.1996
525	Whitty Guinness [13]	28.54	29.10.2010
550	Whatsupjack	29.91	18.09.2009
700	Tinas Girl	38.79	19.08.2003
790	Shining Rumble	44.76	13.07.2004

Former

Yards	Greyhound	Time	Date	Notes
325	Wonderful Era	17.80	20.09.1968
325	Spotlight Mark	17.80	21.09.1971
325	Basking Shark	17.70	23.08.1974
325	Lough Tan	17.48	15.08.1986
325	Greenane Catcher	17.46	07.09.1990
350	Joyful Bob	19.65	1953
500	Tillie O'Lear	28.90	1960
525	Speedyman	29.45	28.06.1968
525	Special Check	29.00	27.07.1976
525	Glenpark Dancer	28.90	15.11.1985
525	Gabirel Wonder	28.82	20.08.1991
525	Gold Spitfire	28.80	22.08.1997
525	Coolmona Dave	28.66	09.05.2003
525	Boherduff Light	28.66	10.10.2003
525	Boherduff Light	28.61	25.06.2004
525	Boherduff Light	28.61	02.07.2004
550	Pools Punter	30.85	02.08.1968
550	Clashing Breeze	30.80	19.08.1977
550	Glorious Champ	30.75	1978	Paddy Stakes semi-final
550	Glorious Champ	30.75	1978	Paddy Stakes Final
550	Blanco Kerry	30.65	13.07.1978
550	Killaclug Jet	30.60	1979	Paddy Stakes Final
550	Lispopple Tiger	30.20	31.05.1985
550	Borna Best	29.94	09.05.1997
550	Clover Hare	29.92	13.09.2002
700	Baylough Proud	40.35	02.09.1977
700	Huberts Thacher	40.35	13.07.1978
700	Man of Ice	40.20	1980
700	Blondie Brown	39.68	26.08.1983
700	Barbery Glade	39.68	13.08.1989
700	Gaytime Blonde	39.36	29.08.1997
700	Toms Mixture	39.09	20.08.2002
790	Rovigno	45.70	27.06.1969
790	Whittle Off	45.30	18.07.1972
790	Fen Tiger	44.92	04.07.1986
990	Wonderful Meudy	59.18	02.08.1986
990	Queenies Fire	59.14	15.06.1990
525 H	Super Fellow	30.70	17.07.1962

References

1. "Greyhound Track". Discover Ireland.
2. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
3. Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
4. "IGB announces Youghal Appointment". Youghal online.
5. "Hayes opens refurbished stand at Youghal Greyhound Stadium". merrionstreet.ie.
6. "Curraheen Park and Youghal Greyhound stadia helped raise more than €5m". Cork.ie.
7. "Youghal greyhound Stadium". Irish Greyhound Board.
8. "Youghal". Greyhound Data.
9. "Feature Events" (PDF). Irish Greyhound Board.
10. "Track records". Greyhound Data.
11. "Track records". Greyhound Star.
12. "Newbridge Track records". Greyhound Star.
13. "The Friends of Youghal A2 Stakes Final". Irish Greyhound Board.

External links

• Irish Greyhound Board