Earliest meeting: Tuesday 3rd October 1769
Final meeting: Tuesday 3rd October 1905
The County Monaghan town of Carrickmacross is the second largest town in the County and boasts a Castle built by the Earl of Essex in 1630. It is also famous for its lace making, although less famous for its racecourse, which did stage meetings, on and off, for over a 140 year period. The inaugural six day meeting took place from Tuesday 3rd to Saturday 7th October 1769 on a course just a mile from the town centre. The opening £20 Purse, run in heats for 4 and 5 year olds, was won by Mr Plunk’s Garlick in just two heats, beating Larry Grogan and Hector. The next day the Purse for aged horses went to Mr Branton’s Dove, while the Weight for Age Handicap on Thursday 5th October saw Northern Nancy beat Sharper and Spotted Doe. Racing lapsed at the end of the 18th century before returning in the 1820s. Those meetings were organised by a Managing Committee spearheaded by Lord Cremorne. The initial meeting on Tuesday 2nd November 1824 was a great success and was followed by a ball for 123 people at the Market House after racing. The main race, the Carrickmacross Plate over 2 miles, was run in three demanding heats. Although Swindler won the first heat, he could only finish third in the next, while in the final heat he beat Pullet to claim the Plate. The regular meetings continued to be well supported until a final card on Tuesday 3rd October 1905. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 4 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Lord Cremorne, Captain Burke |
| Principal Races |
Scurry Stakes, Carrickmacross Plate, Farmers’ Stakes |
Tuesday 2nd November 1824
The Carrickmacross Plate over 2 miles
1. Swindler, grey horse owned by Mr Donnellan 1 3 1
2. Pullet, bay mare owned by Mr Ward 2 2 2
3. Talbot, bay horse owned by Mr Marmion 3 1 3 |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 3rd October 1905. |
| Course today |
On fields just a mile from the town centre. |
| 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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