Earliest meeting: Wednesday 6th October 1762
Final meeting: Monday 21st January 1861
The County Monaghan town of Clones is situated in the west of the county, right on the Northern Ireland border with County Fermanagh. In the past the town has also been known as Clonis, Clonish and Clownish, and once held its own races which were deemed worthy of being included in the ‘Historical List of Horse Races and Matches of 1762’ when the meeting was known as Clownish. The 3 day meeting opened on Wednesday 6th October 1762 with a 4 year old stakes won by Mr Neary’s Sweetest, defeating Mr Barber’s selection and Dapper Moll. The next day the Clownish Purse went to Mr Young’s grey mare at the expense of Mr Davis and Mr Sheridan. The meeting concluded on Friday 8th October with a Give and Take Handicap which fell to Mr Lambert’s Little John. Meetings were held at irregular intervals over the next century, and a Steeplechase meeting, twice postponed due to bad weather, took place on Monday 21st January 1861 over the Corconnolly course. Entries for the races were made at the Dacre Arms Hotel and the meeting began with the St Tierney Stakes over 1 ½ miles which went to Mr J Fiddes’s Business. The Post Handicap Chase was won by Mr Jameson’s Emma who beat Chance and Just In Time. Meetings certainly took place after this date, although the cards included Hack and Pony races.

6th October 1762

Clownish 4 year old Stakes
1. Sweetest, brown filly owned by Mr Neary
2. Unnamed chestnut filly owned by Mr Barber
3. Dapper Moll, chestnut filly owned by Mr Elliot

7th October 1762

Clownish Purse
1. Unnamed grey mare owned by Mr Young
2. Unnamed grey colt owned by Mr Davis
3. Unnamed bay gelding owned by Mr Sheridan

8th October 1762

Clownish Give & Take
1. Little John, grey gelding owned by Mr Lambert
2. Granby, chestnut horse owned by Mr Higgins
3. Parrot, bay gelding owned by Mr Neary

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