Earliest meeting: Tuesday 9th May 1843
Final meeting: Thursday 8th May 1902
The Irish racecourse at the small town of Kanturk, at the confluence of the River Allow and River Dallow, is in the North West of County Cork and first staged its own race meetings in 1843. The first 2 day meeting took place on Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 10th May 1843 when the opening Tierney Stakes over 3 miles was won by Doctor O’Neil’s Buck. The meeting was extremely popular, so much so that a local newspaper commented, ‘an unfounded consequence of the races is that beds could not be had at Hotels in the town for less than £1 per night’ and prompted the Tierney Arms Hotel to guarantee a maximum rate of 5 shillings per person. Such was the popularity that a second meeting was staged later in the year on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th November 1843. By 1864 the meetings were Stewarded by Colonel Williamson on an excellent all grass course, adjacent to the town, with well-constructed fences. The feature Free Handicap on the Monday 23rd May 1864 card was won by Mr R Annesley’s Rose. Meetings continued for the next 38 years until a final meeting on Thursday 8th May 1902.

Monday 23rd May 1864
Kanturk Free Handicap
1. Rose, bay mare owned by Mr R L Annesley
2. Lusians, 4 year old owned by Mr Lane
3. Little Mouse, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Callaghan

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