Earliest meeting: Thursday 24th March 1859
Final meeting: Thursday 21st June 1894
The County Galway town of Athenry, a walled town which boasts a 13th century Castle, is situated 16 miles east of Galway. In the 19th century it staged race meetings, the first recorded being on Thursday 24th March 1859. The principal race was the Athenry Stakes over 2 miles, although by 1871 a Military Cup was added to the programme and was always hotly contested. Racing continued annually, although in 1891 a new course at Ballydavid was used. The final record of a meeting was on Thursday 21st June 1894 when the Athenry Plate over 2 miles was won by Mr C Taaffe’s Bloomfield, getting the better of The Master and Welkin. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 4 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr C Taaffe, Mrs Stackpole |
| Principal Races |
Athenry Stakes, Military Cup |
Thursday 21st June 1894
The Athenry Plate over 2 miles
1. Bloomfield, aged horse owned by Mr C Taaffe
2. The Master, 5 year old owned by Mrs Stackpole
3. Welkin, aged horse owned by Mr S Kelly |
| The final meeting took place on Thursday 21st June 1894. |
| Course today |
The final course was located at Ballydavid. |
| If you have photos, postcards, racecards. badges, newspaper cuttings or book references about the old course, or can provide a photo of how the ground on which the old racecourse stood looks today, then email johnwslusar@gmail.com |
Much of the information about this course has been found using internet research and is in the public domain. However, useful research sources have been:-
London Illustrated News
Racing Illustrated 1895-1899
The Sporting & Dramatic Illustrated
Northern Turf History Volumes 1-4 by J.Fairfax-Blakeborough
The Sporting Magazine
A Long Time Gone by Chris Pitt first published in 1996 ISBN 0 900599 89 8
Racing Calendars which were first published in 1727 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3
652 pages
774 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0
352 pages
400 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7
180 pages
140 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4
264 pages
235 former courses |
| Copies of the above books are only available by emailing johnwslusar@gmail.com stating your requirements, method of payment (cheque payable to W.Slusar) or Bank transfer, and the address where the book(s) should be sent. |
| ORDER FORM |
| Download an order form |
| |
Quantity |
Cost |
| Volume 1 North of Hatfield £19.99 + £4 postage |
|
|
| Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage |
|
|
| Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage |
|
|
| Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage |
|
|
| Volumes 1 - 4 £54.96 + £5 postage |
|
|
| Postage & Packaging |
|
|
| Total |
|
|
| Email order form to johnwslusar@gmail.com |
|