Earliest meeting: Monday 21st April 1856
Final meeting: Monday 21st April 1856
In the middle of the 19th century the Citizens Club was an active group in Ireland who organised steeplechase races for a short period, starting on Monday 2nd May 1853. That inaugural meeting was held at Fairyhouse racecourse when the Citizens’ Plate was won by The Colonel for Mr Watson, beating Music and Magpie. Meetings continued to be held at Fairyhouse racecourse for the next two years, but in 1856 a new venue was tried. That final reported meeting was held just 2 miles from the village of Rathcoole in South Dublin. Back in the 18th century the village was composed of a number of mud huts lined along a single street surrounded by beautiful countryside, but the countryside was used to good effect when a 3 mile all grass racecourse was formed, consisting of 42 leaps none of which was severe. The feature race, the Citizens’ Handicap Plate, was won by Mr E Lynch’s King Dan. After racing a group of 150 racegoers met at the Black Church Hotel for breakfast.

Monday 21st April 1856
Citizens’ Plate Handicap over 3 miles
1. King Dan, bay gelding owned by Mr E Lynch
2. The Pup, bay gelding owned by Mr Lawless
3. Larry The Lad, grey gelding owned by Mr Farrell

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