Tipperary woman banned from dog ownership raced greyhounds after court ruling 

Greyhound Racing Ireland's official records show that despite the 10-year ban, Michelle Connolly subsequently owned and raced greyhounds at Irish race meets for ten months following a court judgement

Nenagh native Michelle Connolly was banned from owning, keeping, or breeding dogs for ten years at Nenagh District Court in May 2022, but subsequently raced greyhounds at Irish tracks and formed one third of a new racing partnership with British champion greyhound trainer Mark Wallis and her partner Mike Davis. Picture: Steve Nash

A Tipperary woman banned in court from owning dogs for 10 years continued to own and race greyhounds after the ruling.

Nenagh native Michelle Connolly was banned from owning, keeping, or breeding dogs for ten years at Nenagh District Court in May 2022, but subsequently raced greyhounds at Irish tracks and formed one third of a new racing partnership with British champion greyhound trainer Mark Wallis and her partner Mike Davis. 

She had pleaded guilty to seven offences under the Animal Rights Act after an ISPCA inspection of her farm at Puckaun, Nenagh, in 2019 discovered three dogs, two Maltese and a poodle, in a cage who had been the subject of mistreatment. One had no hair on its tail, while another had red raw skin.

Ms Connolly had initially denied knowing anything about the dogs in question, which were subsequently seized by the ISPCA and placed into care. Six greyhounds were also found in a shed on the property.

Greyhound Racing Ireland's (GRI) official records show that despite the 10-year ban, Ms Connolly subsequently owned and raced greyhounds at Irish race meets for ten months following the Nenagh court judgement.

GRI has now confirmed that activity is "now a matter for the courts”. The Greyhound Board of Great Britain has said it is aware of the investigation.

Ms Connolly had not replied to a request for comment at the time of publication.

A spokesperson for GRI said it had first received notice of the court order against Ms Connolly last month and that it had “promptly” investigated the matter.

They said that a “comprehensive report” had been prepared for the Department of Agriculture in which GRI outlined “its concern about a possible breach of the court order of May 2022 regarding Ms Connolly’s future ownership of dogs”.

They added that following that report the case "is now a matter for the courts in the context of a possible breach of the court order previously issued against Ms Connolly”.

GRI said it has established there were no greyhounds in the immediate care of Ms Connolly at her home, and that all greyhounds registered to her were with licenced trainers.

The last registered activity of greyhounds owned by Ms Connolly in Ireland was last March at Curraheen Park when her greyhound Paper Moon raced for the eighth time since the May 2022 court order.

She also trialled Hot Throttle at the same track, later the same month. However, the majority of Ms Connolly’s greyhound activity has been in the UK.

There she entered into a collaboration, together with Mr Davis, with 14-time UK champion trainer Mark Wallis in 2021. The collaboration has seen the purchase of at least 27 greyhounds.

A spokesperson for the Greyhound Board of Great Britain said it “is aware of a matter involving an alleged conviction under the Animal Health and Welfare Act in the Republic of Ireland”.

“While an investigation is underway, however, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further,” they added.