Clouds roll in but Rebel Fitz’s win lifts spirits

Kanturk is officially out of recession after the whole town came to Galway, raided the big race and bolted back to north Cork with their pockets bulging.

Less than two hours after Rebel Fitz squeezed home as second favourite in the Galway Hurdle, they were already queuing at the Alley Bar in Kanturk.

It wasn’t just a good night, it was a great night. If trainer Michael Winters declares the recession over, you know there was no shortage of money dragged from Ballybrit to be spent on porter in Kanturk. Everybody in the town has some connection to the horse. John D O’Connor, husband of Eilish, the owner of The Alley Bar in the town, was just one of many who took the party bus up to Galway and back again.