Longford Greyhound Stadium

Longford Greyhound Stadium

Location	Park Road, Longford, County Longford, Ireland
Coordinates	53°43′13.6″N7°47′35.6″W / 53.720444°N 7.793222°W / 53.720444; -7.793222
Date opened	1939
Date closed	2020
Race type	greyhound racing

Longford Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing track located on the south side of Longford, County Longford, Ireland. ^[1]

The stadium was a ten-minute walk from the town centre and had a large customer car park. Racing took place every Monday and Friday evening and the facilities included a fast food bar and totalisator betting. ^[2] Race distances were 525, 550, 750 and 805 yards. ^[3]

History

Longford Greyhound Stadium was accessed via Earl Street and was the most centrally located track in Ireland. The south Longford venue had a circumference of 485 yards and opened in May 1939. It was organised by two men called Matthew J. Lyons (a local businessman) and John E. Dorris (managing director) who purchased the Sligo greyhound operation and brought it to Longford. ^[4]

Initially the stadium opened for a racing season, starting in the Spring and closing before Winter each year. ^[5] The track hosted the Longford Derby & Longford Puppy Derby and other events to have taken place previously here are the Padian Cup and Smithwicks 550.

In July 1966, John McDermott died aged 73, he had been the manager of the track from its opening night. ^[6] A later pioneer of the track was Jim Conroy (racing manager). ^[7] Also in 1966, the track closed for the winter break and looked unlikely to re-open, but the owner Thomas Packenham sold the site to Longford Sports Ltd. ^[8]

In 1974, the track only raced on Friday nights due to the effect of the 1973 oil crisis. ^[9] In September 1985, the Longford Greyhound Supporters Club was formed. ^[10]

In June 1989, the track celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special a meeting that was attended by Frank Berry (jockey), Larry Cunningham, Eddie Macken and Ray Flynn.

In the new millennium, the track battled for survival during hard financial climates, led by Racing Manager Patrick Farrington and the voluntary committee. In July 2014, the sale of the Park Road track was agreed to Scottish-based greyhound owner Howard Wallace. ^{[11] [12]}

In 2018, it was announced that the track was closing for good but it gained a reprieve. ^[13]

In 2020, the stadium closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and never recovered from the financial loss, holding its last meeting on 23 March 2020.

Competitions

• Longford Derby
• Longford Puppy Derby

Track records

At closing ^{[14] [15] [16]}

Yards	Greyhound	Time	Date	Notes
330	Bay Sun [17]	17.33	11.07.2008
525	Dustin Fox	28.15	14 July 2006
550	Tyrur Harold	29.45	16 June 2017
570	Frisky Fantasy	30.73	2 August 2010
805	Posh Again	44.87	11 July 2008

Former ^[18]

Yards	Greyhound	Time	Date	Notes
330	Richmont Mick	18.69	1950
330	Portumna Bouncer	18.44	11 July 1969
330	Scaragh Prairie	18.32	30 August 1974
330	Cast No Stones	18.22	24 May 1985
330	Tubbercurry Lad	18.22	12 July 1985
330	Athboy Vintage	17.69	20 July 2001
330	Comans Express	17.68	10 June 2002
330	Silkey Joe	17.62	11 July 2003
330	Lethal Party	17.61	7 October 2005
330	Petes Noble	17.59	21 October 2005
330	Duke of Ross	17.52	9 December 2005
330	Gingko	17.35	13 July 2007
525	Cooleeny Twister	29.98	c.1948
525	Lovely Rambler	29.38	2 July 1965
525	Sampson Flash	29.28	5 July 1974	Longford Derby final
525	Pepsi Princess	28.82	1 September 1989
525	Athboy Vintage	28.27	10 August 2001
525	Get Here	28.26	19 July 2002
525	Dundrum Prince	28.21	18 June 2004
525	Hi King Closure	28.19	17 June 2005
550	Design	31.15	1970
550	Claddagh Quail	31.04	11 September 1970
550	Bermadaghs Shay	30.80	17 July 1985
550	Break The Clock	29.78	1 August 2003
550	Coolamber Prunty	29.77	11 July 2008
550	Pepsi Kev	29.77	3 October 2008
550	Rince Boy	29.76	20 October 2008
550	Bunlahy Brett	29.66	2 August 2010
550	Clydal Jack	29.63	21 June 2013	Longford Derby second round
550	Surley Bassi	29.51	20 June 2014
570	Angel Wonder	32.85	9 June 1967
570	Couch Trip	31.04	28 September 2001
570	Emdee Boys	30.92	13 May 2002
570	Dundrum Prince	30.80	1 April 2005
570	Dunsany	30.88	1 April 2005
570	Dundrum Prince	30.74	5 April 2005
600	Danba	34.67	14 April 1967
805	Thanks Jim	46.98	August 1991
805	Clydal Pigeon	45.89	30 September 2003
805	Hidden Solo	45.10	5 December 2003
330 H	Benas Gift	19.95	c.1940
330 H	Cave View Clipper	19.48	23 October 1959
525 H	Fortwilliam Pagan	31.44	c.1941

References

1. "Longford Greyhound Stadium". discoverireland.ie.
2. "Longford Greyhound Stadium". Irish Greyhound Board.
3. "Longford". Greyhound Data.
4. "Death of Matthew J.Lyons" . Irish Independent. 29 March 1988. Retrieved 14 February 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
5. "Longford Greyhound Track" . Irish Independent. 4 April 1942. Retrieved 14 February 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
6. "Mr J. McDermott" . Sligo Champion. 29 July 1966. Retrieved 14 February 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
7. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN   07207-1106-1.
8. "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 1966) March edition". Greyhound Star.
9. "Longford" . Irish Independent. 12 January 1974. Retrieved 14 February 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
10. "Mullingar stages a midweek decider" . Irish Independent. 13 May 1986. Retrieved 14 February 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
11. "Hopes for business boost as sale agreed on Greyhound Track". shannonside.ie. Archived from the original on 25 August 2016.
12. "Scottish owner Wallace to take over at Longford track". Irish Independent.
13. "Longford greyhound track closes after 80 years citing rising insurance costs". The Journal. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
14. "Track records". Greyhound Data.
15. "Track records". Greyhound Star.
16. "Longford Track records". Greyhound Star.
17. "The Sierra Communications Open 330". Irish Greyhound Board.
18. "Longford track records". Greyhound Data.

External links

• Irish Greyhound Board