Earliest meeting: Monday 23rd April 1860
Final meeting: Tuesday 13th June 1922
The Irish racecourse at the town of Ballyhaderreen (Ballaghaderreen) was in County Roscommon and served a very small population. Although races of minor significance took place before 1860, a two day meeting was staged on Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th April 1860 when the principal race was the Ballaghaderreen Silver Cup. The next year a two day meeting was held on Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th November 1861 on land owned by Captain Costelloe in the vicinity of the town centre. The card opened with the Town Plate over a mile and a half which was won by Mr Kelly’s Prudence, beating Lord de Freyne’s Vixen and Evendale. The good Lord gained his revenge in the Silver Cup, over 2 miles with four 4 feet walls and any other obstacle they encountered, when Coadjutor ran out an easy winner. On the second day the main Sweepstake also went to Lord de Freyne with Colleen Dhas. Meetings continued on a regular basis and by the late 1870s the Town Open Handicap Plate became a much sought after and well publicised steeplechase. Crowds began to dwindle at the start of the 20th century and although racing resumed after the war had ended, the final meeting was staged on Tuesday 13th June 1922. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 4 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Lord de Freyne, Captain Costelloe |
| Principal Races |
Ballaghaderreen Silver Cup, Town Open Handicap Plate |
Wednesday 6th November 1861
Ballaghaderreen Silver Cup over 2 miles and four 4 feet walls
1. Coadjutor, aged horse owned by Lord De Freyne
2. Pelissier, aged horse owned by Mr Lynch
3. Prudence, 3 year old owned by Mr Kelly |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 13th June 1922 |
| Course today |
In the vicinity of the town on land owned by Captain Costelloe. |
| 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 |
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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. |
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