Dog track closures a sad reality for rural towns
IF YOU are not from the four towns affected, chances are the news passed you by. But to locals of Enniscorthy, Lifford, Longford and Youghal, last Friday’s news will have resonated deeply, after the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) announced that it was pulling funding for the dog tracks in the four towns.
The imminent closure of all four tracks is now the likely outcome.
For the regional towns involved, well accustomed to pushing boulders up hills trying to remain relevant and sustainable in an increasingly Dublin-centric Ireland, the announcement will seem like another kick in the teeth, a further chipping away of their identity.
The devastating, yet not entirely surprising news comes after an independent report undertaken by Indecon Economic Consultants, which reviewed the future needs of the IGB’s 16 licensed stadia, made recommendations regarding the industry’s footprint into the future.
The recommendations of the report have been accepted by the board of the IGB.
The brief for the study included the assessment of infrastructure and services available at all 16 licensed greyhound stadia in Ireland; an assessment of financial sustainability at each track; analysis of population catchments and motorway access; and detailed recommendations regarding individual stadia.
The report has recommended a restructuring of the footprint of the greyhound sector; ongoing cost efficiency measures; targeted investment in animal welfare, marketing and infrastructure; and the ceasing of funding for four stadia – Enniscorthy, Lifford, Longford and Youghal.
That we have arrived at this point is no great surprise. The greyhound industry has been struggling to remain relevant in this ever changing socio-economic climate. A Prime Time Investigates programme on RTE earlier this year lifted the lid on some shocking practices within the greyhound industry, triggering a groundswell of opposition to the sport.
The brand had become toxic in the eyes of the public. Greyhound tracks, often used by clubs and organisations for fundraisers, were finding it increasingly difficult to convince punters to support events.
Something had to give, hence the independent review, which resulted in Friday’s news.
But none of this will be of any consolation for the four towns due to lose their stadia. Campaigns against the closures are expected on the ground in the towns affected, but what good they will do remains to be seen.
Which is a real shame, as anyone who has attended a race night at a greyhound track will know how enjoyable a night it can be. As someone who grew up in Enniscorthy, I have many happy boyhood memories of long summer evenings at the dog track, throwing 50p on each race, and being thrilled to come home with any kind of small winnings.
And these closures should not be seen as a victory for animal welfare advocates, in fact the opposite is the case. Greyhounds will continue to be bred for racing in and around the four towns in question, with racing of these dogs likely to be driven underground to illegal meets, without proper regulations for animal welfare.
For Enniscorthy, Lifford, Longford and Youghal, it will be a sad end of an era when the gates close. Unfortunately, given the financial pressures and growing public opposition to the sport, there doesn’t seem to be any way back.