Lifford Greyhound Stadium

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Lifford Greyhound Stadium - Wikipedia

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Lifford Greyhound Stadium
Location	Ballyduff Road, Lifford, County Donegal, Ireland
Coordinates	54°50'05.7"N 7°29'04.3"W
Operated by	Lifford Greyhound Racing Company Limited
Date opened	1959
Race type	greyhound racing
Official website

Lifford Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track located in Lifford, County Donegal, Ireland.^[1]

The facilities include the Champion Stakes Restaurant, fast food facilities, a number of bars, totalisator betting and seating.^[2] Racing takes place every Friday and Sunday (it was formerly held on Saturday evenings).^[3]

Race distances are 325, 525, 550 and 575 yards.^[4]

History

The Lifford Greyhound Stadium was built in 1959, when cattle dealer James Magee decided to convert some more of his grazing land from a schooling track into a professional 495 yard circumference circuit. Magee died in 1971 and his sons Cathal and Seamus took over the track as the Racing and General Managers around the same time that a new stand was erected at the venue.^[5]

The main event originally held at the track was the Irwin Cup but it did not feature highly on the Irish racing calendar and during the late 1970s an event called the Abraham David Trophy was contested featuring significant prize money. Many top greyhounds have appeared here including Yellow Printer who began his career at Lifford as a puppy.^[6] Race distances were 350, 525, 550, 575, 750 and 820 yards.^[7]

After 32 years association the track was put up for sale by the Magee family in 1991 and was eventually bought by new owners in 2001 when Willie, Hugh and Patrick Duffy formed the Lifford Greyhound Racing Company.^[8] On 11 September 2003 the track re-opened after undergoing a €12m refit with a new grandstand, two restaurants and improved facilities.^[9]

Closure and reopening

During 2018, the stadium was put up for sale at a price of 1.9 million euros. The following year it was announced that the last race meeting would be on Saturday 17 August 2019 before the stadium was closed. Racing Manager Matthew Duffy blamed the lack of support from the Irish Greyhound Board.^[10]^[11]

During October 2021, it was confirmed that the track would reopen on Sunday 6 March 2022. The racing was brought back by a syndicate called the Lifford Greyhound Racing Club - Canaradzo Ltd headed by Harry Findlay.^[12]^[13]^[14] The track reopened on 23 March 2023 (slightly later than planned).^[15]

In June 2024, the track entered into negotiation with Greyhound Racing Ireland for its fixtures to be televised by Sports Information Services (SIS).^[16]

Track records

Current records (new track)

^[17]

Yards	Greyhound	Time	Date
325	Gizmo Cash	17.09	24 September 2023
525	Wi Can Dream	28.54	2 April 2023
550	Glideaway Alfie	29.97	7 May 2023
575	Droopys Nextone	31.34	2 April 2023

Former records

Extended content

^[18]^[19]^[20]^[21]

Yards	Greyhound	Time	Date
325	Golden Ram	17.94	2 September 1961
325	Munchie	17.90	13 November 1976
325	Fulmax Fever	17.84	1976
325	Cooma Slave	17.67	7 June 1986
325	Eden Castle	17.62	20 July 1991
325	Pats Gale	17.54	17 August 1996
325	Fishy Boy	17.24	12 May 2002
325	Leathems Jet	17.59*	11 January 2003
325	Hollyhill Equity	17.57	12 January 2003
325	Jamellas Phantom	17.38	26 January 2003
350	Kilmalady Boy	18.49	25 September 2003
350	Droopys Robinho	18.47	25 February 2007
350	Royal Delight	18.39	1 January 2007
350	Montos Mark	18.39	4 November 2007
350	So Handsome	18.36	18 May 2008
350	Mustangsteviegee^[22]	18.30	1 June 2008
525	Top Note	29.55	1970
525	Taxi Dancer	29.52	29 May 1971
525	Palestine June	29.35	17 July 1975
525	Marinas Crazy	29.18	18 August 1979
525	Moss Chimes	29.09	30 May 1981
525	Slaney Stan	29.09	3 July 1982
525	Erins Eye	29.09	4 October 1986
525	Fairhill Boy	28.92	15 July 1989
525	Star Ambition	28.70	2 September 2001
525	Farloe Bond	28.45	25 August 2002
525	Homeless Jo	28.41	2 December 2007
525	Barnish Ciaran	28.39	13 April 2008
525	Graigues Toss	28.36	27 April 2008
525	Rough Laura	28.25	13 September 2008
550	Bowe Princess	31.08	17 April 1962
550	Glencloy Swift	29.86	21 July 2001
550	Fridays Rumble	29.74	21 July 2002
550	Phoenix Paddy	29.71	11 February 2007
550	Phoenix Paddy	29.68	25 February 2007
550	Farloe Black	29.64	14 October 2007
550	Farloe Black	29.39	28 October 2007
550	College Causeway	29.31	26 October 2008
575	Duel	32.46	11 May 1967
575	Silent Rogue	32.35	6 August 1977
575	Madam Black	32.25	24 August 1977
575	Tour Valley	32.11	30 June 1979
575	Coolbeg Carina	32.08	1988
575	Saddleback Pearl	32.08	1988
575	Irish Lad	31.90	1990
575	Quare Whisper	31.87	22 June 1991
575	Drumsna Isle	31.72	22 August 1999
575	Tullymurry Token	31.47	27 July 2002
575	Glenanore Pride	31.40	18 May 2003
575	Jamies Boy	31.40	25 September 2003
575	Cabbage White	31.28	13 November 2003
575	Line Of Fire	31.05	7 October 2007
600	Messan Mak	32.88	22 September 2002
600	Always A Rumble	32.50	21 September 2003
750	Mobile Dubh	42.17	21 March 2004
750	Beaming Surprise	42.13	24 October 2004
750	Lisnahavil Lady	42.11	30 April 2005
750	Dromana Blue	41.72	25 February 2007
750	Droopys Quiff	41.56	7 October 2007
750	Droopys Quiff	41.38	5 October 2008
780	Bowe Princess	45.10	19 May 1962
790	Barrack Maid	45.03	17 August 1978
790	Farloe Frown	44.92	4 August 2001
820	Break Away Tiger	46.20	2 June 2002
820	Recovery Mission	45.74	11 September 2003
525 hurdles	Sefanta	29.48	8 August 2004
550 H	Frisby For Me	30.87	10 October 2004
550 hurdles	Lemon Rambo	30.81	28 November 2004

References

^ "Lifford Greyhound Racing". Lifford Stadium. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
^ "Lifford Greyhound Stadium". Irish Greyhound Board. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
^ "LIFFORD ANNOUNCE OPENING HOURS AND TRIAL TIMES". Greyhound Racing Ireland. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
^ "Lifford". Greyhound Data. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
^ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
^ Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN 07207-1106-1.
^ "Lifford". Greyhound Data.
^ "Lifford Greyhound Stadium for sale". Donegal News.
^ "Lifford greyhound stadium opens". Health Club Management. 26 September 2003.
^ "End of an era as Lifford Greyhound Stadium set to close". Donegal Daily. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
^ "Lifford Greyhound Stadium is set to close next week". Highland Radio. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
^ "Date Confirmed for reopening of Lifford Greyhopund Track". Donegal News. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
^ "Lifford name opening date". Greyhound Star. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
^ "UK Tote Group confirms reopening of Lifford dog track". Donegal News. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
^ "LIFFORD BACK UP AND RUNNING". Greyhound Star. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
^ "Lifford statement". Greyhound Star. 26 June 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
^ "Irish Track Records as of January 2024". Greyhound Star. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
^ "Track records". Greyhound Data.
^ "Track records". Greyhound Star. 22 January 2018.
^ "Lifford Track records". Greyhound Star. 7 January 2019.
^ "Lifford track records". Greyhound Data.
^ "THE Hugh Duffy Memorial Open 350 Round 1 Heat 2". Irish Greyhound Board.

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

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Greyhound racing venues in the Republic of Ireland

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