‘Coursing is a sport that gives hope and it also breeds resilience’

In a tiny corner of North Kerry, for three days at least, Gaelic football will become the second most important sport in the world.

In normal circumstances such a claim would be sacrilegious in Ballydonoghue given the local club has produced county senior stars like Mike Finucane, Gus Cremin, Eddie Dowling, Jer D O’Connor, Johnny Bunyan, Liam O’Flaherty and in more recent times, Jason Foley.

But this week is anything but normal in and around Lisselton Cross, the epicentre of the parish, which sits halfway between the towns of Listowel and Ballybunion. The reason for such a sporting conversion is an incredible as it is exciting with 10 local dogs qualified for the National Coursing Meeting in Clonmel which runs from tomorrow until Tuesday (Unfortunately Hollyhill Miley was ruled on on Thursday).

The figure equates to over 5% of the qualifiers for the Derby and Oaks.

This 2019 level of success, condensed into one season, in unparalleled in such a small community, even one with such an impressive pedigree in the game. Surnames alone illustrate the greyhound tradition in these parts: McNamaras, O’Connors, Brennans, Horgans, Kellys, Kennellys and Purtills. Liam Foley bred the Champion Stakes runner up ‘Wizard Matthew’ in 2016 while Pats Kissane won the Oaks 40 years ago with ‘Little Treasure’.

Conor Foley, is one of those holding what he terms ‘a golden ticket’ for Powerstown Park. He is a member of United We Stand Syndicate along with JJ O’Carroll from Ballyduff and Macroom trainer Liam O’Callaghan who own ‘Rush Ruth’.

Foley said: “I was coming out of mass on Sunday and a man who had no major interest in dogs was over wishing me luck and saying how great it was for the parish. It has captured the imagination around here with a busload departing on Saturday for Clonmel. With the football being so quiet at the moment there is certainly more interest coming our way.”

Foley is one of those steeped in the game since his childhood days in Ballyconry, close to the river Cashen and the parish boundary with Ballyduff. His father, John, had greyhounds all his life and notable successes included a Kingdom Cup in 1959 with ‘O Man’, the prestigious Rose of Tralee as well as getting a bitch to the last eight of the Oaks in 1961 after having to run a no-go on the first day only to be beaten by wonder bitch ‘Simply Terrific’.

Foley continued: “Coursing is a sport that gives hope and it also breeds resilience. You are beaten more often than you win in this game but you always have hope that the next crop, the one you have at home, will be the one to come good the following season.

Hope and resilience are very important, not just in coursing but in life.

On the Listowel side of the parish, Bill Keane is another man counting down the hours to Clonmel. “I’m getting more phone calls than I ever got in my life, wishing us the best of luck.

“You couldn’t dream it if you tried it,” he says, “to have two qualified is exceptional.”

The two in question are Lone Tank and Lone Rocket, both of whom he trains.

“There is no secret,” he laughs when quizzed on his methods, “only to get up early every morning. I’m out with them seven mornings a week before 6am. I have my own gallops and we are out there with them every second day.”

When pushed on any other formula for winners, he laughs: “I give them scrambled eggs every morning.”

Regardless of what happens over the next three days, it has been an extraordinary run for Keane. “We made eight finals this year, we won three and lost five which isn’t a bad record.”

And making it even more special for Keane is the fact that his grandson Darragh - who lives in Innishannon, Co. Cork - is co-owner of Lone Rocket while he also bred two other local qualifiers Hollyhill Miley (Derby) and Hollyhill Moira (Oaks) who are owned by Pauline Hegarty, her husband Robert Porter along with Willie Crossan of Hollyhill Kennels in Tyrone .(However Hollyhill Miley was withdrawn midweek due to injury).

It is fitting that there is a Hegarty involvement in Clonmel next week. The family has been a cornerstone of the parish for decades having owned a shop in Lisselton village and in latter years, Tomaisin’s pub is the command centre and unofficial headquarters for coursing folk locally.

Tom (known to all as Tomaisin) Hegarty recalled: “My first Clonmel memory came about 35 years ago when I had Brown Chieftain with John Kennelly and Mike Connor. We made the semi-final of the Derby but he was injured and would have won it outright if he was right. I don’t think I have missed a year since then. We are heading up on Saturday and coming down on Tuesday evening. It is a bit of tradition at this stage, we always go up the night before and sure we will have more craic with the Ireland v England game in the rugby.

“I’m heavily involved with Billeen (Keane), and at the moment I have about 12 dogs between the coursing and the track.

“I rather the coursing because the craic is better. It is hard to win a trial stake, and hard to make Clonmel, but you have some fun on the journey.

“There is no good just going out and buying a good dog - you have to win one a trial stake final yourself to really enjoy the achievement.”

His son Jackie continued: We had a preview night here on Sunday night in the bar. It was the first time ever having one in Lisselton and we had a massive turnout. Lads that would have had no interest in dogs are really getting into the thing now. A few of the boys who play football, who had no background with greyhounds, are after buying a dog for next year.”

Jackie is the odd man out in the Hegarty family this year. “I’m the only one of us not to have a dog qualified for Clonmel! My sister Pauline never owned a coursing dog and had two qualifiers (before injured ruled one out) along with her husband. My wife Áine and daughter Molly are kennel handlers for Cruyff and my father is with Lone Tank along with Bill Keane, Noel Madden. Both Molly’s grandfathers (Tomáisin and Tom O’Connor) have dogs qualified for the Derby. Whatever happens it is some story just getting there - and we wish everyone, not just the local dogs, the best.”

Ironically there is no coursing club in Ballydonoghue, due chiefly to the strength of those in Listowel and Ballyduff.

Foley, treasurer of the latter, smiled as he suggested that “the people around Ballydonoghue were always good enough to help the neighbours!

“Listowel and Ballyduff are two of the strongest coursing clubs in Kerry and a consequence it would have diluted things to attempt to set one up in Ballydonoghue.”

His role gives him an interesting insight into the challenges in the fields and the meeting rooms of the sport.

“It is incumbent on all of us to keep the youth coming through, ensuring the next generation are there to pass things onto. Coursing is more than just a sport, it is also a way of life and an approach to life. One of the key things about coursing is the volunteerism.

We live in busy times with more and more demands but it always amazes me to see how people are so willing to give up their time, for free, to help out with the local club.

He gives an example from firsthand experience: “A few years ago Ballyduff were doing a huge job on their field, there was a massive amount of work, but it was all done by those simply out of a love for the sport.”

But how hard is this to maintain in a changing Ireland, or more specifically a changing rural Ireland which is on the ropes awaiting a knockout blow?

“You simply can’t buy the excitement and the enjoyment. Coursing is one of the last great level playing fields in sport. The small man has as good a chance as the big man here. Look at the football championship - what chance do Leitrim footballers have of winning the All-Ireland final.

"But in coursing a Leitrim can go all the way any year. I remember my father being disappointed when he was beaten on the final day in Clonmel but an old man came along and told him to go easy on himself and said “you should be very proud to even put in a round not to mind get to the final day.”

And for Foley, on a personal level, it offers something more. “2018 was a tough year for me as my fabulous mother died. And from that low, winning a trial stake provided a ray of sunshine and something to look forward to. I am a man with two dogs a year - one coursing and one track. I have one of those 64 golden tickets - there are some people that are there 40 years and never got here. And I am very appreciative of that fact.”

The next generation of Foleys have caught the bug. Daughters Grace (10) Ruth (7) are helping their dad with walking and feeding much as he did with his one father, 40 years ago. Grace turned to him recently while feeding and said “Dad I love the dogs” – what more could one ask for. You need luck, pace, stamina and perseverance in Clonmel and I wish every runner the best of luck. We are all just doing our best to do as well as we can and win or lose we will enjoy it.”

THE BALLYDONOGHUE BATTALION

Cruyff is owned by Tom O’Connor (whose daughter Áine Hegarty and granddaughter Molly are kennel handlers) and Richie Mee. He only ran once - winning first time out in Castleisland beating a few fancied dogs along the way. The duo have fond memories of Clonmel - their last runner there was Caoimhe’s Cindy who won the Champion Bitch Stake.

Lone Tank (Derby) owned by Bill Keane, Noel Madden and Tom Hegarty won a trial stake in Tradaree. Keane is a very busy man as he is also training Lone Rocket who became his first qualifier for the Champion Stakes. Lone Rocket (owned by Noel Madden and Willie’s grandson Darragh Keane) was fancied for the Derby last year but injury prevented him from showing his true potential. All will hope for better luck this time round.

Slán abhaile is owned by the Slán abhaile syndicate with Padraig O’Donnell the local representative. He ran in Glin but got a grueller and was withdrawn. After a lengthy recovery all came right at Sevenhouses, one of the last meetings of the year. Interestingly O’Donnell is also treasurer of the Listowel Coursing Club.

Adrian Carr and Tom Healy are the owners. Carr is following a proud family tradition in coursing after his grandfather Timmy and uncle Sean. Both secured qualification in Westmeath. Adrian said: “Excitement is building to see Killucan Pocket running in the Derby and we have an anxious wait to see if Coolard Queen can make it into the Oaks where she is second reserve.”

Hollyhill Miley and Hollyhill Moira: This pair are owned by Pauline Hegarty, Robert Porter and Willie Crossan. Hollyhill Moira was defeated in the semi-final at Liscannor but qualified for Clonmel with a victory in Charleville. Ironically she will be renewing her rivalry with the bitch that beat her in Liscannor (Tromora Bliss). Hollyhill Miley came through at Balbriggan but sadly was withdrawn midweek due to injury. The Hollyhills and Lone Tank are all from the first litter of Lone Ramble.

Rub and Tug is owned by the Eye Candy Syndicate which includes Paddy Madden in its ranks. Rub and Tug was one of the first to qualify for Clonmel with victory on the first weekend of the season in Kilflynn. Her mother, Lyrics, has consistently thrown good dogs to run in Clonmel notably last year’s Champion Stake winner Kyle Mozart. Rub and Tug also made the semis of the Corn na Feile Oaks in Abbeyfeale.

Rush Ruth: Conor Foley explained: “It’s a miracle that she even saw a coursing field as she picked up a bad virus not long after arriving and only for the tremendous work from local vet Lindsey Edwards who had to place her on a drip for two days, she wouldn’t have survived. As it was, it took her another month to fully recover but thankfully since then, she has thrived. Rush Ruth’ collected at the first time of asking in Fermoy where she showed electric pace from slips and will love the hill in Clonmel.”