Derry Greyhound Stadium

Derry Greyhound Stadium
Location	Brandywell Showgrounds, Lone Moor Road ; Derry ; Northern Ireland
Coordinates	54°59′26″N 7°20′10″W / 54.990552°N 7.336107°W
Owned by	Derry City and Strabane District Council
Date opened	29 July 1932; 19 April 2018 ; (new track built)
Race type	greyhound racing
	Official website

Derry Greyhound Stadium also known as the Brandywell Greyhound Track is the greyhound racing operation held at the Brandywell Showgrounds next to the new Brandywell Stadium in Northern Ireland. The track was relocated from around the football pitch to next door to it, opening in 2018. Racing takes place every Monday evening.

History

Northern Irish greyhound tracks are unusual in the sport of greyhound racing within the United Kingdom because they do not fall within the jurisdiction of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain. Instead, the Bord na gCon (the Irish Greyhound Board) oversees proceedings.

The track in Derry raced for the first time on 29 July 1932 under the leadership of Hugh Duffy.^[1] The track was constructed around the Brandywell Stadium football stadium, home of Derry City.

The original track was regarded as being one of the smallest in Ireland. The Brandywell Greyhound Racing Company was responsible for ensuring that racing continued over the years, even during the period from 1971 until 1985^[2] when the football was cancelled here due to the unrest in Northern Ireland. The greyhound racing was fortunate to experience just one short closure which took place in 1971 following the loss of 20 fixtures previously.^[3] There was a dispute between Derry FC and the greyhound management in 1968 when the weekly rent was increased from £12-6 to £20 per week.^[4]

The track hosts an Irish Greyhound Derby trial stake every year and major events have included the James Corry Marathon, Festival Derby, and Ulster 500.^[5]

New track

The greyhound race track closed on Saturday 3 December 2016. The stadium was demolished, with plans announced for a new stadium and a stand-alone greyhound track.^[6]^[7] The new stand-alone greyhound track was part of the 2018 £7m development for a new state-of-the-art stadium.^[8] The facility, funded by Derry City and Strabane District Council in conjunction with the Executive Office, included the track, which was opened for trials by the Brandywell Greyhound Racing Company on 9 February 2018.^[9] Racing continues every Monday evening.^[10]

Track records

New track (current) ^[11]

Yards	Greyhound	Time	Date
300	Sniper Ria^[12]	16.40	28 March 2022
500	Quill Minstral^[13]	27.19	25 October 2021
525	Canada Goose^[14]	28.59	27 September 2021
745	Townsend Carol^[15]	42.05	20 January 2020

New track (former)

Yards	Greyhound	Time	Date
300	Rosshill Rocket ^[16]	16.51	19 April 2018
300	Caughtbysurprise^[17]	16.45	14 January 2019
300	Cromac Willow^[18]	16.45	28 September 2020
500	Central Boss ^[19]	27.51	28 May 2018
500	Nemesis^[20]	27.50	21 September 2020
500	Manalishi Chief^[21]	27.45	22 June 2021
525	Central Boss^[22]	28.78	6 August 2018

Old track

Yards	Greyhound	Time	Date
300	Currowgariff Border	16.83	1950
300	Black Velvet	16.55	1978
300	Bright Oliver	16.45	19 October 1979
300	Pipers Gold	16.43	22 September 1989
300	Drumragh Mulder	16.51	8 September 2000
300	Cobra	16.46	17 August 2009
400	Beefeater	28.77	2002
440	True Record	25.56	1950
440	Local Sweep	25.08	1970
440	High Footstick	25.05	1978
440	Street Cat	24.94	13 July 1981
500	Sandy Lee	28.20	1970
500	Drumahisky Champ		1978
500	Glackmore Island	27.98	1978
500	Seaway Joe	27.96	9 December 1983
500	Central Supreme	27.85	24 April 1990
500	Tullymurry Toff	27.85	16 March 2001
500	Kinrush	27.84	12 July 2002
500	Cavies Cruncher	27.78	31 October 2003
500	Eden Brett	27.64	22 September 2008
525	Hale Farloe	30.64	1950
525	Prisona Nuath	29.56	1978
525	Glenroe Champ	29.54	1979
525	Drumahisky Champ	29.51	1980
525	Westpark City	29.04	15 June 1984
525	Lignamonagh Bray	28.90	11 July 2003
600	Leck Venture	34.20	1980
600	Farloe Hall	34.02	24 February 1985
600	Coleraine Jazz	34.02	10 May 1985
600	Pusher Bird	33.99	29 July 1988
600	Winners Flag	33.92	23 October 1992
600	Homefield King	33.92	2002
600	Elm Lass	33.88	9 May 2003
600	Star Model	33.79	24 November 2003
720	Atomic Rebel	40.96	1 April 1948
720	Miss Jahousky	40.20	16 August 1985
720	Farloe Frown	41.01	16 July 2001
720	Farloe Tico	40.42	12 June 2008
920	Tullys Passion	53.96	31 May 2007

References

^ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. p. 21. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
^ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
^ "Remember When - September". Greyhound Star. 2 September 2018.
^ "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 1968) March edition". Greyhound Star.
^ Barnes, Julia (1991). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-61-9.
^ "Brandywell Closes". Greyhound Star. 24 November 2016.
^ "End of an era at Brandywell as greyhound racing in Derry makes tracks to its new home". Derry Now. Archived from the original on 2018-06-18. Retrieved 2018-10-07.
^ "Work on £7m Brandywell redevelopment to be completed before end of the year". Irish News. 12 October 2017.
^ "GREYHOUNDS: New Brandywell track hosts first trials". Derry Journal.
^ "Results". Irish Greyhound Board.
^ "Cork Track records". Greyhound Star. 7 January 2019.
^ "Support Your Local Track Sprint". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
^ "Race 4 Greyhound Data Discussion Forum". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
^ "TT Thermal Construction Contractors * Magical Bales Oaks". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
^ "Race 4 Red Shilling 745 Marathon Final". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
^ "300 Track record". Irish Greyhound Board.
^ "Race 8 Track Lotto Sprint". Greyhound Racing Ireland. 27 December 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
^ "Race 7 Track Lotto Sponsored". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
^ "500 Track record". Irish Greyhound Board.
^ "No More Ladders 500 Window Cleaning". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
^ "Race 6 Track Lotto Open 500". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
^ "525 Track record". Irish Greyhound Board.

[genders81-1] Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. p. 21. ISBN 07207-1106-1.

[2] Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.

[3] "Remember When - September". Greyhound Star. 2 September 2018.

[4] "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 1968) March edition". Greyhound Star.

[5] Barnes, Julia (1991). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. ISBN 0-948955-61-9.

[6] "Brandywell Closes". Greyhound Star. 24 November 2016.

[7] "End of an era at Brandywell as greyhound racing in Derry makes tracks to its new home". Derry Now. Archived from the original on 2018-06-18. Retrieved 2018-10-07.

[8] "Work on £7m Brandywell redevelopment to be completed before end of the year". Irish News. 12 October 2017.

[9] "GREYHOUNDS: New Brandywell track hosts first trials". Derry Journal.

[10] "Results". Irish Greyhound Board.

[11] "Cork Track records". Greyhound Star. 7 January 2019.

[12] "Support Your Local Track Sprint". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 14 February 2024.

[13] "Race 4 Greyhound Data Discussion Forum". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 14 February 2024.

[14] "TT Thermal Construction Contractors * Magical Bales Oaks". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 14 February 2024.

[15] "Race 4 Red Shilling 745 Marathon Final". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 30 December 2020.

[16] "300 Track record". Irish Greyhound Board.

[17] "Race 8 Track Lotto Sprint". Greyhound Racing Ireland. 27 December 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2020.

[18] "Race 7 Track Lotto Sponsored". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 30 December 2020.

[19] "500 Track record". Irish Greyhound Board.

[20] "No More Ladders 500 Window Cleaning". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 30 December 2020.

[21] "Race 6 Track Lotto Open 500". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 14 February 2024.

[22] "525 Track record". Irish Greyhound Board.

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v t e Greyhound stadiums in Ireland
Current (Republic of Ireland)	Clonmel Cork Dundalk Enniscorthy Galway Kilkenny Lifford Limerick Mullingar Newbridge Shelbourne Park Thurles Tralee Waterford Youghal
Current (Northern Ireland)	Derry Drumbo Park
Former (Republic of Ireland)	Ardfert Arklow Ballina Ballybunion Blackrock Bray Bundoran Clones Cork (Show Grounds) Cork (Western Road) Dublin (Chapelizod) Dublin (Harold's Cross) Dublin (Santry) Dundalk (Ramparts) Kilkee Kilrush Limerick (Markets Field) Longford Navan Newbridge (St Conleth's Park) Sligo
Former (Northern Ireland)	Ballyskeagh Celtic Park Dungannon Dunmore Stadium Omagh

Location	Brandywell Showgrounds, Lone Moor Road Derry Northern Ireland
Coordinates	54°59′26″N 7°20′10″W / 54.990552°N 7.336107°W / 54.990552; -7.336107
Owned by	Derry City and Strabane District Council
Date opened	29 July 1932 19 April 2018 (new track built)
Race type	greyhound racing
Official website