Fashion, craic & passion swamps the Island

LISTOWEL LAYS ON ANOTHER GLORIOUS WEEK OF RACING

IT might be all over for another year, but truth be told Listowel Races pay no heed to starts and finishes as memories of a unique week reverberate in the mind long after the curtain has fallen.

It’s just the way it’s always been in Listowel and even though the weather gods won’t be honoured with the ‘Freedom of Listowel’ anytime soon, racegoers made the most of the brief bursts of sunshine that kindly radiated the last of the season’s warmth on a buzzing racetrack.

The going was heavy throughout, but not as heavy as the dizzy atmosphere covering the north Kerry capital as the bars, restaurants, cafes and shops all shared in a slice of Listowel’s greatest week.

The Chairman of Listowel Racing Company, David Fitzmaurice, was spot on when he said: ‘the people of Listowel are alive to the culture of the races’.

Gasps of disappointment greeted news of Coneygree’s omission from the Kerry National on Wednesday, but there’s a long season ahead for the horse and conditions were just too testing for the 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner.

Jockey Lisa O’Neill brought ladies’ day forward by 48 hours when landing her second Kerry National in a row aboard the Gordan Elliot trained, Potters Point, in what was an amazing achievement.

Fashion always favours the brave at Listowel and thousands of ladies passed through the turnstiles creating more style than a thousand nights at the Oscars. Friday’s McElligott’s Honda Best Dressed Lady went to Jill Duggan from Killarney, while Lisa Carmody and James O’Gorman were the winners of the Listowel Tidy Town/An Taisce Authentic Vintage Outfit on Saturday.

“It was a great week and even though numbers were slightly down, this was due to the weather.

“We were lucky with Ladies’ Day which was a fine day. As you know, it takes more than weather to prevent Listowel Races from being a success and we’re already looking ahead to next year,” said Secretary, Brenda Daly.

Photo by Domnick Walsh Photo by Domnick Walsh Siblings - Ogie, Lila and Robbie Scanlon - get up close to the Kerry National action amid the throng on the track at Listowel on Wednesday. Deirdre Moynihan, Tralee, and Bríd Bowler from Moyvane on the Island on Ladies’ Day. Lisa O’Neill romping home...

Photos by Domnick Walsh Aisling McCarthy, Eimer McCarthy and Sandra Lynch from Listowel ready for whatever the sky might throw at them with a suitably sporty brolly ahead of the Kerry Guinness National on Wednesday.