Atrocious weather no obstacle to hounds, hares and horse at Dromiskin coursing meeting

Never in the 52 years of coursing at The Commons, Dromiskin, was the weather as harsh as it was for the second day of the Dundalk & Dowdallshill Club’s 2023 meeting.

Yes, there’s been snow and frost, causing delays and postponements. And there’s also been rain – nothing, however, to compare with which fell on St Stephen’s Night and the next day, when the finals were down for decision.

It came down in torrents on the Wednesday, relenting only after the finalists in the featured Corn Cúchullain went upfield.
“This is like a wedding day,” said an onlooker, “the sun comes out after the photographs have been taken.”

Despite all that, the greyhounds and, most important, the hares, performed heroically, all of the lepus timidus hibernicus family safely making it home over the two days, much to the big crowd’s delight.

The animals had puddles to contend with on the run up, splashing water all around them. A photographer, looking to make an entry in the Sports Picture of the Year competition, would have had a good capture.

The grey horse carrying the judge, Grace Vallely, also had deep ground to contend with, but made light work of it, keeping up a neat trot throughout.

The conditions, however, didn’t take from what was a great meeting, especially for local kennels. Three of the six prizes, the main one included, came this way – and there’s a genuine hope there’s more to come for one of the winners.

John Gregory’s Crossmaglen establishment has enjoyed consistent success at this meeting over the years, winning as many as nine stakes. They were mostly minor supporting events, chiefly ones confined to working members.

That has all changed. Carrying a prefix that’s been synonymous with the greyhound sport going back decades, Urker Mac was supreme in the Corn Cúchullain, beating his opponent, Catch Magic – already a cup winner this season and in with a chance of making the Champion Stakes at the National Meeting – with some ease in the last course of the meeting.

If ever there was a great family success this was it. John Gregory, the promoting club’s president, has a team of sons, daughters and grandchildren behind him, and all were there to cheer Urker home. So, too, was John’s wife, Dundalk-born Maura (née Nixon).

There might be even better to come to come the family’s way. Urker Mac is a pup, and has won a trial stake which earns him a place in the Derby, one of the main events at the National Meeting coming up at Clonmel at the beginning of February.

Now, with a prestigious all-aged event to his credit, the Crossmaglen runner will head south with huge confidence behind him.
Mac won’t be in the van on his own. Urker Challenger has also qualified for Clonmel, and, whisper it, this lad might be faster than his kennelmate. One way with the other, the Gregory runners are not going to merely make up the numbers.

Gerry Callan, another who has served the club well and, having a good singing voice, always gets the best of attention for his rendition of Amhrán na bhFiann before the first of the finals is run off, knows what it’s like to win the Corn Cúchullain.

Eight years ago, the former D & D club chairman – more than ably assisted by his son, Mark – sent out Due Diligence to take the big one. The two boys were on the mark this time with So Missed, winner of the Workers’ Stake and Macardle Cup that goes with it.

The final was an all-Knockbridge affair, Caoimhe and Conor Hoey’s Country Chestnut filling the runners-up spot.
Winner of the Coffey Cup, Glengar Whelan, was down to the Big Mug Small Mug on the programme, but, in fact, is in the ownership of Danny Kerr.

This proud son of Dundalk’s Quay area did a deal after the cards had been printed, and was delighted to be presented with a trophy that commemorates one of promoting club’s founding members, P P Coffey, back in the momentous year of 1916.

The prizemoney for two of the stakes and another ancillary event was provided by local families. The Thornton Cup, commemorates Tommy Thornton, a Haggardstown man who had a long association with the club; while Gearóid Heeney and family sponsored the Corn in memory of Gearóid’s father, Gerry, and his grandfather, Johnny.

The last bitch – you’re allowing to say that in a story about greyhounds, or any dog breed, for that matter – standing in the Corn Cúchullain receives the Paddy Carroll Memorial Trophy, and this time it went to Catch Magic. My lot have been sponsors for almost two decades, and are privileged to continue.

Benny Treanor, the veteran joint-owner of the Derby trial stake winner, Rossmore Grace, is a proud Monaghan man, but is always happy to remind this writer that as far back as 1928 his father, John ‘Rock’ Treanor, won a Louth senior championship with Sarsfields.

This was a team comprised entirely of Army personnel based at what we now know as Aiken Barracks, in Dundalk. There were Quarter Masters, Corporals, Captains, Sergeants and Privates on the team, which had Sergt. Treanor playing at No 15 in the defeat of Boyne Rovers in the final. (There’s a story relating to this match, which we’ll keep for Inside Track, to run in the new year.)

One of John’s colleagues, Private Michael McAleer, played for Monaghan in the Farney County’s sole All-Ireland senior football appearance, in 1930, and later joined forces with Dundalk Gaels.

Michael had an interest in greyhounds, for years sending out runners from his McSwiney Street kennel. Kilburn Prince is best remembered of them.