Earliest meeting: Tuesday 29th September 1818
Final meeting: Tuesday 21st July 1857
The County Tipperary town of Cahir is located in the south of the county and today has a population of less than 4000. However, it was much smaller in the early 19th century, yet still managed to host a series of race meetings. In both the Sporting Magazine and Racing Calendar the town was referred to as Caher. While races of minor significance took place at Caher before 1818, on Tuesday 29th September 1818 the racecourse witnessed a tragic incident when Nabocklish, owned by John Kirwan, collided with another horse and fell, killing its jockey D.Foghey. In 1831 the New Sporting Magazine reported on a three day meeting held from Wednesday 13th to Friday 15th September 1831, opening with a Sweepstake which went to Mr Maher’s Elk. The next day the Sweepstake was won by Mr Prendergast’s Childe Harold. Could the Irish training wizard Paddy Prendergast have been a descendant? The Stewards sponsored a Sweepstake on the concluding day which was won by Mr Maher’s Lapwing. Meetings continued intermittently, with a Garrison meeting organised on ground at Farmley on the Clogheen road on Monday 17th July 1843, and later on Tuesday 21st July 1857 Caher Hunt Races were staged when the main Sweepstake was won by Mr McCaith’s The Unknown. Races of minor importance were staged after this date. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 4 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Sir T Munroe, Captain Tomline, Mr Prendergast, Mr Maher |
| Principal Races |
Caher Sweepstake, Caher Garrison Hunt Cup |
Friday 15th September 1831
Stewards Sweepstake over 1 ½ miles
1. Lapwing, brown horse owned by Mr Maher
2. Overtaker, chestnut colt owned by Mr O’Ryan
3. Childe Harold, bay horse owned by Mr Prendergast |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 21st July 1857. |
| Course today |
At Farmley on the Clogheen road. |
| 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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