“If you could come up with a definition of what a coursing man should be, look no further than Jimmy Darcy. He is a breeder, owner, trainer of distinction, club working member and of course has great respect for the Irish hare. He is a man we all aspire to be like and he is an inspiration to us all”.
Those were the words of DJ Histon, CEO Irish Coursing Club as he welcomed Jimmy Darcy into the ICC Hall of Fame at the Coursing Awards & Dinner Dance last weekend. As Jimmy and his wife Anna came to the stage to accept his Award from sponsors Brian and Noelle Divilly he received his second standing ovation of the evening. The first had come a short time earlier when the guests had watched a moving tribute to Jimmy which had been filmed at the Johnstown & Urlingford coursing field in Woodsgift and at his home.

Our photo shows Jimmy accepting his Award from sponsor and ICC President Brian Divilly whilst Anna accepts a bouquet from Noelle Divilly. Also in photo are Jimmy’s children Jimmy jnr and Marie, two of his grandsons James and Conor and his many friends from Johnstown and neighbouring coursing clubs.

Unlucky Champion Bitch Stakes runner-up Blades of Glory has produced some exceptionally fast greyhounds since being retired to the breeding paddocks.
However as owner Denis Guiney said at the ICC Awards on Saturday night last he thought a Classic win was going to elude her. That all changed of course on January 30th of this year when two of her sons Reikers Island and the Guiney family owned Blades Of Fire divided the 2017 BoyleSports Derby.
Their sister Our Miztique also reached the quarter-final of the Oaks so it was no surprise that Blades Of Glory was voted ICC Brood Bitch of the Year for the second time in three years.

Our photo shows Mike O’Connell (representing sponsor Richard Maher of Event Power Ltd, Thurles) presenting the trophy to Denis’s mam Mary and members of the Guiney family together with trainer Gerry Holian and Jacqueline Farrell.

In the 15 year history of the ICC Stud Dog of the Year Award only five different dogs have won the Award including Adios Alonso who took his third title this year.
The other winners are Hilltown (5), Bexhill Eoin (4) and Ashmore View, Kingsmill Dynamo and Razor Ashmore with one Award each.

Adios Alonso had previously won the Award which is kindly sponsored by the National Meeting Bookmakers in 2013 and 2015 so he appears to be making a habit of winning every second year. This might be of some comfort to other Stud Dog owners as we head towards the 2017/18 season !!!.
However there was no doubting his supremacy during the season just gone, siring the Oaks winner Knockout Glory and the two Derby dividers Reikers Island and Blades Of Fire as well as a host of other big stake winners and National Meeting qualifiers.

Our photo shows Michael Sheil representing the National Meeting Bookmakers presenting the trophy at the ICC Awards last weekend to Gerry Holian who trained Adios Alonso to win the 2010 Derby. To the right of Michael is John O’Sullivan who co-owns the dog with Richard Maher and Basil Holian.

Many congratulations to our ICC Award Winners for 2017.
A big thank you also to our Award Sponsors and to all of you who voted.
Our photo shows 2017 Greyhound of the Year, Reikers Island, with Dr Paddy & Mary O’Kelly.

Greyhound & Pet World Abbeyfeale Coursing Dog of the Year
WINNER 
REIKERS ISLAND

Flaherty Markets Galway Coursing Bitch of the Year
WINNER 
KILLUCAN ROSE

National Meeting Bookmakers Coursing Stud Dog of the Year
WINNER 
ADIOS ALONSO

Event Power Ltd Thurles Coursing Brood Bitch of the Year
WINNER 
BLADES OF GLORY

Hall of Fame Award (Kindly sponsored by Brian Divilly)
JIMMY DARCY, Urlingford, Co Kilkenny  

ICC RULE AMENDENTS RATIFIED BY IGB

The following rule amendments were ratified by the Board of the IGB and will be effective as and from December 5, 2016.

Rule 95 – Description of Entry

Every subscriber to a stake shall name his greyhound before the time fixed for closing the entry, giving the names of the sire and dam of the greyhound entered. All greyhounds must be microchipped in compliance with the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015. A subscriber shall be required to produce an Identity Card at slips and any greyhound whose markings do not correspond with those given on the Identity Card shall be disqualified and, if through any omission or oversight, it is allowed to compete without complying with this ruling, it shall, if it be so proved to the satisfaction of the Executive Committee, on an objection, be disqualified.

Rule 97 – Acceptance of Entries

97 (A.2) All greyhounds must be microchipped in compliance with the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015.

Rule 159 – Condition of Entry

159 C – All greyhounds must be microchipped in compliance with the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015.

Directive – Greyhounds Eligible to Compete

C- All greyhounds must be microchipped in compliance with the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015.