Earliest meeting: Monday 3rd April 1848
Final meeting: Thursday 4th May 1871
The County Limerick townland of Banogue, near to Croom, was holding races of minor importance before 1850. An early meeting was held on Monday 3rd April 1848 when the feature race was the Banogue Challenge Cup, and the next year the Cup was won by Mr O’Brien’s Jenny Lind on Tuesday 24th April 1849, after which races continued to be popular and well supported by people from Limerick, Croom and the surrounding villages for over 25 years under rules. The sport was never of the highest quality, leading the Cork Examiner to comment about the meeting on Saturday 1st May 1858 ‘Although the course was numerously and fashionably attended, the day afforded little inducement to visitors.’ That meeting opened with the Tallyho Stakes over 3 miles which saw Captain Barnard’s Lobster defeat ten rivals, while the Foxhunter’s Stakes was won by Mr Lynch’s Secret. The next year, on Tuesday 3rd May 1859, Colonel Dickson and Sir Richard De Burgho were enjoying the races with family members when their carriage was destroyed by a mob and they were assaulted, leading the police to read the riot act on three separate occasions. Despite this setback, steeplechase meetings continued until Thursday 4th May 1871, and although meetings were held after this date they invariably involved pony racing. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 4 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr Michael Cantillon (Steward), Captain Westropp, Captain Barnard |
| Principal Races |
Banogue Challenge Cup, Banogue Handicap, Banogue Hunt Race |
Saturday 1st May 1858
Banogue Tallyho Handicap Steeplechase over 3 miles
1. Lobster, aged horse owned by Captain Barnard
2. Little Betsy, 5 year old owned by Captain Westropp
3. Tonic, aged horse owned by Mr Isaac |
| The final meeting took place on Thursday 4th May 1871. |
| Course today |
A 3 mile steeplechase course in fields on the outskirts of Banogue. |
| 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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