There are a small number of vacancies in the White Sands Hotel Cup at Ballyheigue, Sat,Sun 10th & 11th October. For 16 All Ages (8 dogs & 8 bitches) with winner receiving €2,000. Email slatterycormac3@gmail.com or ring 087 3111703 between 7pm and 10pm.
LISCANNOR
Please note that Liscannor Coursing Club has applied to the Fixtures Committee of the ICC for revised fixture dates. The confirmed dates will be notified in due course. Liscannor Coursing Club thanks its sponsors, members and patrons for their continued support and looks forward to welcoming everyone to their meeting later in the season.
Friday: Twice through Glin Derby TS, Galway & Oranmore Derby TS and Galway & Oranmore Oaks TS.
Saturday: Twice though Glin Oaks TS. Once through All Age Bitch Stake, National Workers Qualifier and Desmond Cup.
Sunday: Start with Glin Derby TS, Glin Oaks TS, All Age Bitch Stake & Desmond Cup. All semi-finals after first interval commencing with semi-finals of National Workers Qualifier. Complete card.
ENNIS CLARECASTLE
Saturday, Sunday 3rd & 4th October
Judge: Michael Kelly
Slipper: David O’Connor
Start 11.00am both days.
Saturday: Twice though Oaks TS. Once through Reserve Derby TS (before interval). Once through All Age Dog Cup (immediately after interval).
Sunday: Start with Members Stake, National Workers Qualifier, Reserve Derby TS, Oaks TS, All Age Bitch Stake, All Age Dog Cup & complete card.
It was a super start to the season for The Future Syndicate with its newest runner, ‘Ballymac Berma’ winning the Oaks Trial Stake at Kilflynn in style. Ballymac Berma’ (Watchman ex Ballymac Ber) was provided and trained by Liam Dowling and family for the Future Syndicate. We are very grateful to Liam for his generosity and his continued support of our young members.
There is good news too on ‘Shineon‘, who is back in training with Brendan Matthews after her trial stake success at North Kilkenny last season. Her win gave syndicate members a day to remember and we look forward to seeing her out again this season in All Age company.
The very popular Three Course Championship will be run for the third time in the 2026/27 season with the final once again taking place at the National Meeting. The winner will be presented with the Powerstown Cup.
A small number of changes have been made to the stake conditions and the full list of conditions can be viewed when you click here (PDF – opens in new window).
The following is the list of Clubs (in alphabetical order) who have applied to run a Qualifier.
We are delighted to announce that the Bobby Browne National Workers Championship will be run for the second time in the 2026/27 season with the final once again taking place at the National Meeting.
A small number of changes have been made to the stake conditions and the full list of conditions can be viewed when you click here (PDF – opens in new window).
The following is the list of clubs (alphabetical order) who have applied to run a Qualifier. Clonakilty & Sevenhouses, as hosts of the preliminary round of Grand Final, may also nominate a greyhound to go into the draw for the preliminary round.
The following are the Clubs which will be holding Reserve Trial Stakes for the 2026/27 season.
Reserves for Derby and Oaks (Club alphabetical)
OAKS
DERBY
1
Ballyheigue & Dist
1
Cappoquin
2
Co Carlow
2
Co Cavan
3
East Donegal 2
3
Doon
4
Freshford
4
Ennis Clarecastle
5
Galbally
5
Johnstown & Url
6
Mallow
6
Kilflynn
7
Mitchelstown
7
Killimer Kilrush
8
Old Kilcullen
8
Macroom
9
Rathcormac
9
Sevenhouses
10
Tradaree
10
South Clare
11
Trim
11
Waterford
Owners and trainers should again note the rule passed at the 2025 AGM of the Irish Coursing Club which brought about a change to the system of replacing qualifiers who are unable to take their place in the Derby and Oaks. They will now be replaced by Reserve TS winners, instead of TS runners-up, which will create an enhanced status for reserve trial stakes.
Where necessary, additional greyhounds will be added to the National Meeting reserve list, consisting of the next best performers: greyhounds that ran up multiple trial stakes etc, and they will be subject to a draw in the event of a number of greyhounds being equal in terms of performance.
The great weather this summer has produced a bumper crop of Oats. Fran Mangan and his crew have been busy in recent weeks cutting and binding sheaves of Oats for the hare husbandry teams at many meetings including the National Meeting and Irish Cup.
Some photos from a great night at the ICC Awards and Dinner Dance on Sunday last. Huge thanks to our sponsors Greyhound & Pet World Abbeyfeale, Flaherty Family Galway, Clonmel Cabins (Billy & Marie Roche), National Meeting Bookmakers, James & Sharon Coss Portlaoise, Bridget Byrne, Surrey/Duagh and Michael Horgan, Mitchelstown. We couldn’t have done it without them. Our cover photo shows connections of Five O Five, Coursing Greyhound of the Year, receive their prizes from Award sponsors, Liam and Helen Murphy, Greyhound and Pet World.
Brendan Matthews receiving his Hall of Fame Award from sponsor Bridget Byrne
Connections of Daoimean Dubh were presented with the Coursing Bitch of the Year Award kindly sponsored by the Flaherty Family, Galway
Billy & Marie Roche, Clonmel Cabins presented Ray Conroy & Leah Eustace with awards for Coursing Brood Bitch of the Year, Laurina
James & Sharon Coss presented James Morrissey and Maria O’Sullivan with award for Open Coursing Greyhound of the Year, Party Diamond.
Denis Gould, representing the National Meeting Bookmakers, presents the Coursing Stud Dog of the Year Award to connections of Upper Hand.
Naomhan Farrell representing Edenderry CC was presented with their €5,000 Club Award by sponsor Michael Horgan.
Niall Curtin & Jack Foley representing Abbeyfeale CC were presented with their €5,000 Club Award by sponsor Michael Horgan.
A Special Merit Award was presented to Aidan Supple, Rathkeale CC & Team Powerstown, accompanied by his wife Phil.
A Special Merit Award was presented to Geraldine Doyle, Johnstown& Urlingford CC
Anne Marie O’Brien made a presentation to Donal Malone, Dan Brassil & John Harty to mark the success of Aran View in the Champion Bitch Stakes at the National Meeting.
Anne Marie O’Brien made a presentation to Ray Conroy, Gerry Holian, Jackie Farrell & Ethan Moloney to mark the success of Seven Barrows in the Derby at the National Meeting.
Anne Marie O’Brien made a presentation to Brian Murphy representing John Boyle to mark the success of Ashmore Mac in the Una O’Sullivan Memorial Irish Cup.
Bridget Leen representing her brother Michael receives the €10,000 first prize in the Classics Club Oaks draw from Michael Sheil.
John Flynn receives the €10,000 first prize in the Classics Club Derby draw from Michael Sheil.
Bill & Breda Lonergan are presented with their cheque by Damian Matthews for winning this season’s Fantasy Coursing competition.
Cormac Thompson is presented with his cheque for winning this season’s Charity Fantasy Coursing competition.
The Votes have been counted and we can now announce the winners of this season’s Coursing Awards in all five greyhound categories. We are also delighted to announce that Mr Brendan Matthews will be inducted into the Irish Coursing Club Hall of Fame (Award kindly sponsored by Mrs Bridget Byrne). Special awards for contribution to our sport will also be made to Mrs Geraldine Doyle (Johnstown & Urlingford) and Mr Aidan Supple (Rathkeale). The 2026 Coursing Awards will be presented on Sunday, May 3rd.
Coursing Greyhound of the Year Kindly sponsored by Greyhound & Pet World, Abbeyfeale
FIVE O FIVE
Coursing Bitch of the Year Kindly sponsored by The Flaherty Family, Galway
DAOIMEAN DUBH
Coursing Brood Bitch of the Year Kindly sponsored by Clonmel Cabins
LAURINA
Coursing Stud Dog of the Year Kindly sponsored by The National Meeting Bookmakers
UPPER HAND
Open Coursing Greyhound of the Year Kindly sponsored by James Coss, Portlaoise
When a course lives up to expectations it really makes one appreciate what a wonderful sport we have. So when the stands at Greenmount Park erupted following the final of the Una O’Sullivan Memorial Irish Cup this afternoon the cheers weren’t only for a brilliant winner but also for a meeting and a coursing season that was so enjoyable. However it really was the perfect course, contested by the two greyhounds which stole the show in every round, Stickmein with his devastating early pace and Ashmore Mac with his ultra consistent fast clocks. Slipper Richard Quinn got them away perfectly behind a miller of a hare and Judge Bernard Goold was in the perfect position to see Ashmore Mac come from behind to take the first and only turn by nothing more than a neck. Joy for John Boyle (Boyle Sports) and the Dowling family, disappointment but pride intact for Nathan & Glen Healy & family.
Ashmore Mac is a son of Blades Of Hope – Ballymac Amber and his dam has now bred a Derby, Oaks & Irish Cup winner. Remarkably Ashmore Mac was successful on the first and last weekend of the season, winning the Reserve Derby TS at Kilflynn. In between he won the full Derby TS at Abbeydorney and reached the Derby quarter-finals at Clonmel. But was there ever a hotter Reserve Derby TS than the one at Kilflynn ?. In the final he had beaten today’s Irish Plate winner and withdrawn from the second round was none other than Seven Barrows !!!.
Pups were also triumphant in the Irish Purse and Irish Plate. The Purse went to Callaway Pat which had been a leading fancy for the Cup but lost sight in the first round when well in control. Trained by Owen McKenna he is owned by the Denis Murphy & Loughlins Bar Syndicate led by our ICC President. The Plate went to Awaiting Trial for owner Paul Horig & trainer Kevin Barry. The winner had an unusual trait of running wide of his game but his superior pace was never in question.
The KMN Syndicate c/o Seamus Neary, Kilkenny will be reliving Butterfield’s just-up defeat by Daoimean Dubh in the first round of the Oaks for a little while yet but she has given them a terrific few months and today she added the Patsy Byrne Select Bitch Stakes to her Castleisland Oaks TS and the Corn Na Feile Puppy Oaks. The Gerry Holian trained bitch was simply superb over the last two days.
It was lovely to see Bernard Quinn and the Woodpark prefix back on the podium at a feature meeting and Woodpark Jewel representing Tradaree was a top class winner of the Kyle Champion Working Members. And would you believe joint owner Eoin Gavin is a past pupil of stake sponsor Michael Field.
The venue has been a very lucky one for John & Alan Troy and Patrick Sutton (Irish Cup 2016, Irish Purse 2025) and they were collecting silverware again today following the success of their dog pup Essentially in the Greenmount Stake.
And so concluded a most enjoyable three days hosted by Co Limerick CC. There is no doubt but the extra week was of great help to them with the preparation of the ground & hares and thankfully they were rewarded with much better weather than had been forecast in advance and a Cup final that was as good as we have seen since they moved to Greenmount Park 22 years ago (when the winner was none other than Ashmore View). We send our heartiest congratulations and thanks to everyone at the club.
