Earliest meeting: Monday 28th March 1864
Final meeting: Monday 14th May 1900
The earliest record of racing in the county Tipperary town of Borrisokane, on the River Ballyfinboy, was a two day meeting on Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th March 1864. Prior to this a committee was formed in 1863 with the express purpose of commissioning a racecourse and launching meetings in the town. They chose a 3 mile course at Kylenagoona, complete with stone spectator stand in front of which races started and finished. The course also contained a wide water jump at which a jockey died in the late 19th century. Meetings were always well attended, not only by the local farming community, but visitors from Galway, Limerick and Offaly. Although races in the early years were held in March or early April, in later years events extended to June, July and August. On Thursday 14th May 1868 the meeting began with a private sweepstake between four gentlemen which was won by Mr Russell’s Tasso, comfortably defeating Captain Saunder’s Beechnut. Meetings were held every year between 1864 and 1900, except for 1886, and towards the end of the 19th century were billed as ‘Borrisokane and Ormond Hunt Races’. The final meeting at Kylenagoona took place on Monday 14th May 1900, although point to point races continued at Guilfoyle’s Field on Tower Hill well into the 20th century. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 4 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr Patrick Stephens, Mr Hugh Delaney, Mr John Reddan (Stewards) |
| Principal Races |
Borrisokane Plate, Ormond Plate, Borrisokane Sweepstake |
Thursday 14th May 1868
Borrisokane Private Sweepstake Steeplechase over 3 miles
1. Tasso, aged horse owned by Mr Russell
2. Beechnut, aged horse owned by Captain Saunders
3. Baronet, aged horse owned by Mr Murphy
4. St Patrick, aged horse owned by Captain Stoney |
| The final meeting took place on Monday 14th May 1900. |
| Course today |
On the 3 mile Kylenagoona course. |
| 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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