Dowling’s staunch defence of industry struck right note
A HUGE talking-point in doggy circles over the past couple of weeks has been an interview which Ballymacelligott trainer, Liam Dowling, gave to Colm O’Connor in the Irish Examiner.
In the interview, which saw Dowling answer a whole series of questions thrown at him, he made a quite passionate defence of greyhound racing and things within it.
We all know what RTE did in their infamous Prime Time programme, but Dowling debunked that programme in a big way and he was particularly scathing of those who knock the sport on social media.
In the opening question put to him, Liam was asked about the present mood amongst trainers and owners and he replied that it wasn’t good.
“The Covid pandemic has had a huge impact on our sport,” he said. “Tracks are open but no crowds are allowed in. Then, in recent weeks, we have been hit with a campaign full of stories about the mistreatment of greyhounds. These attacks are totally untrue. People are annoyed, disappointed and angry and they feel that someone needs to reply and tell the truth about this.
“I know that by doing this interview I will make myself a target for intimidation by a group who are waging a relentless campaign of lies, unsubstantiated claims and vile propaganda against the greyhound community.
“But I have no choice as my livelihood and that of thousands of others depend on it. I feel compelled to stand up for a community which has been under the spotlight recently for all the wrong reasons, culminating with the failed attempt by certain politicians to have funding for the greyhound industry wiped out.”
Speaking about the infamous Prime Time programme, Dowling said that a tiny portion of bad eggs had been painted as the entire doggy community. The programme had included a film of animal abuse in China, but that had absolutely nothing to do with Ireland. There was, he said, also a photograph online and in the newspapers of a TD standing outside a greyhound track holding a placard of an emaciated dog, but it had since emerged that the photograph was taken in New Mexico twenty years ago.
Anybody visiting the kennels of a greyhound trainer in this country would, he said, see how well the greyhounds were treated and the distress caused by the Prime Time programme, and the things in it that had nothing to do with Ireland, was something that would never be forgotten.
However, he said that the biggest place where greyhound racing was under attack was on social media. Some people were sitting in front of computers and just bashing, bashing and bashing. They might be minuscule in numbers, but they were on those computers day in and day out.
“Just take a look at some of the scurrilous things written about the Kerry footballers after they lost to Cork in the Munster championship,” he said. “That is the way society is going.
“I firmly believe that they are being funded to do it. This kind of campaigning started in America forty years ago and has nearly wiped out greyhound racing there. It is just total and constant bashing. This constant torturing of those involved in greyhounds on social media, and in the media, is very upsetting.”
In relation to the financial support given to greyhound racing by the government, Dowling said that this money came from a betting levy. No money was taken out of state purses and away from other areas to be given specifically to greyhound racing.
Some 10,000 people were, he said, employed in greyhound racing (Dowling himself has seven full-time employees) and, looking to the future, he said that the industry would have the support of the next generation, though it might be as much through their phones or computers than being at the track itself.
He spoke about all the millions of euro that had been raised through benefit nights at greyhound tracks for schools, churches, sporting clubs and charities and he also spoke about the very successful manner in which greyhounds, after their retirement, were being re-homed by the governing body of greyhound racing, Greyhound Racing Ireland.
Irish greyhounds made great pets, he said, and they been re-homed in other European countries and in Canada and there was actually a waiting list in Ireland for them, such was the demand for them.
From start to finish in the question and answer interview, Dowling defended greyhound racing in the most admirable of manners and, being the master trainer, owner and breeder that he is, that defence was all the more powerful and authentic.
I was lucky enough myself to own and train a couple of greyhounds back the years and, you know something, you thought more about the quality of the food you gave them than the quality of the food you gave yourself. That was how you valued them and, in taking them for trials or taking them racing, you met people who were absolutely the salt of the earth.
Those salt of the earth people are, I can tell you, out there today as well and, in the difficult times we are experiencing because of Covid-19, be sure that their loyalty, dedication and hard work will triumph over adversity and guarantee the future of a sport which has brought incredible success over the years to individuals and greyhounds from this county.