Kilkenny Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track located in north-west Kilkenny in Ireland.

The racing takes place on a Wednesday and Friday evenings at 6.30pm.

St James Park in Kilkenny is a large park that contains sports pitches to the south and a greyhound track to the north. The greyhound circuit can be found south of Parkview Drive off the Freshford Road. Race distances are 300, 325, 550, 727, 750 & 1000 yards.

History The opening night was on 5 June 1946 and the first ever winner was Rebel Gunner. The following year the Kilkenny management wanted to introduce a major race to bring an identity to the track, they decided on a race over 525 yards and called it the McCalmont Cup. The first Winner in 1947 was a greyhound called Lady Maud who also broke the track record in winning the event. The McCalmont Cup attracted Ireland's biggest names each time it was held including the three times Irish Greyhound Derby champion Spanish Battleship who claimed the crown in both 1954 & 1955. Two years later in 1957 a greyhound called Prairie Champion took the honours; this brindle would have his name changed to Pigalle Wonder who went on to win the 1958 English Greyhound Derby.

The circuit has been described as both a good galloping track and too tight which is probably because of the slightly odd shape of the track. In addition to the McCalmont Cup the track hosted two other popular events called the Hurst Cup and Great Whistler Cup.

Jimmy Kinahan was the Racing Manager when the track opened back in 1946 and remained so until his death in 1978. One of the track bookmakers in the sixties and seventies was the well-known celebrity show jumper Tommy Wade who rode Dundrum. John O'Flynn became Racing and General Manager and stayed with the track for twenty years continuing the long service record of its management. He saw the Bord na gCon buy a minority stake in the track from the Agricultural Society who use the fields at St James Park for agriculture events such as bull sales and show jumping.

In July 2007, the Bord na gCon put aside €8 million for a long-awaited regeneration project, the agreement between the Bord na gCon (IGB) and Agricultural Society would allow a new lease, demolition of the old structures and the building of a new grandstand. However the project did not go ahead and following much deliberation towards the end of 2008 it was decided that the financial position of Kilkenny made it no longer viable to operate.

After the meeting on 30 January 2009 the track closed its doors until further notice. However a group of local owners, breeders and supporters got together forming the Kilkenny Track Supporters Club and re-opened Kilkenny on 17 May 2009, they met with the IGB and agreed a funding policy and re-laid the entire track surface in addition to installing new rails and a new hare system.

Despite the small nature of the track it is regarded as an important contributor to the local economy and is still supported strongly by the same Kilkenny Track Supporters Club. The long running BEAM race nights have been a success for over 25 years. Tom Kinane arrived as General Manager and in recent years sponsorship was secured from Red Mills allowing the track to stage the Red Mills Unraced, Red Mills Juvenile and Langton Derby in addition to the prestigious McCalmont Cup.

In December 2023, the stadium renewed the contract agreement (as part of the GRI) with S.I.S for 2024.

Competitions McCalmont Cup (current) Grand National (former)

Track records Current

Yards Greyhound Time Date Notes300 Ullid Conor 15.9912 September 2008325 Ballygur Mike 17.4917 June 2009525Priceless Brandy 28.4617 June 2016550 Dingo Will 30.1229 May 2016725 Sparta Rocky 40.0727 September 2019970 Hulkster 56.8818 June 20061000 Crackoftheash 57.4622 July 2012525 H Comans Joe 29.1024 June 2007 Former

Yards Greyhound Time Date Notes300 Veroden 16.50 17 November 1961300 Moygara Sligo 16.50 2 June 1973300 Margos Choice 16.50 2 September 1977300 Margos Choice 16.50 7 April 1978300 Roses Friend 16.36 1988300 Greyfriars Rose 16.28 11 October 1989300 Ballybray Jasper 16.14 5 September 2001 300 Derwent Storm 16.133 October 2003300 Balerno Ron 16.13 20 June 2004300 Honcho's Pearl 16.08 15 May 2004 500 Magic Hands 28.30 25 May 1968525 Clomoney Grand 29.00 28 May 1966525 Ballybeg Maid 29.00 2 July 1975525 Nameless Star 29.00 23 July 1976525 Lax Law 28.98 21 September 1979525 Spiral Nikita 28.70 7 July 1996525 Kilcarrig Zak 28.69 20 June 2004525 Boherduff Light 28.53 3 September 2004525 Boherduff Light 28.49 10 September 2004550 Clopook King 31.50 10 July 1959550 Welesbourne Dan 30.25 11 September 2009700 White Sails 41.00 3 June 1966700 The Knack 40.85 1980700 Ballyknock Amy 40.6513 August 1982700 Deenside Mist 40.47 5 July 1991700 Penn Pepe 40.45 4 July 1999700 Coolavanny Bird 40.37 11 July 2003700 Smooth Slippy 40.33 25 June 2004 700 Group Skater 40.10 3 October 2008725 Salacres Whyte 42.35 21 June 2009725 Kiltrea Brian 40.319 July 2017745 Summerhill Swift 43.50 6 July 1997745 Blue Boomer 43.08 23 June 2002 745 Kilcloney Wine 42.98 20 June 2004970 Ballygalda Keri 57.63 4 July 1999970 Finuge Rumble 57.41 22 June 2003 1000 Barrow Stamps 58.33 21 June 2009 300 H Singing Border 17.35 7 November 1952525 H Tropical Splendour 29.95 14 June 1961525 H Sober Pride 29.88 24 June 2001525 H Debs The Best 29.64 10 May 2002 525 H Dot Tom 29.56 22 June 2003525 H Bally Euro 29.56 16 April 2004525 H Comans Joe 29.51 13 June 2007

References

External links Irish Greyhound Board