Earliest meeting: Wednesday 9th August 1882
Final meeting: Wednesday 9th August 1882
The county Galway coastal town of Clifden, on the Owenglin River, is known as the ‘Capital of Connemara’. In the late 19th century it held its own races, although they were minor affairs except for a meeting held on Wednesday 9th August 1882. The meeting opened with the customary pony race, followed by a Farmers’ race which was won by Mr Richard Kearney’s Fanny, beating Prince Charles and King Cob. The principal race, the Clifden Town Plate, saw Mr Henry Robinson’s The Nun get the better of Funny Eyes owned by Mr Michael Lydon. In a packed programme the Stewards Plate was won by Mr John Connolly’s Prince Charles, avenging his earlier defeat, while the day concluded with the Curraghmore Plate in which Mr Pratt’s Kelly’s Magic beat Maid of Erin and Lively. While meetings were held after this date, they invariably contained an increasing number of pony races.

Wednesday 9th August 1882
Clifden Town Plate
1. The Nun, aged mare owned by Mr Henry Robinson
2. Funny Eyes, aged horse owned by Mr Michael Lydon
3. Maid of Erin, aged mare owned by Mr John O’Connor

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

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