Dundalk Races 1960 – Amharc Éireann: Eagrán 73

Set near the historic Cooley Mountains, the 1960 Dundalk Autumn Races took place once the harvest was in and bookies hoped to coax some easy money from the farmers of Louth, Monaghan and Meath.

Tensions rose in the fifth race where there were 8 horses running a flat race over the course of a mile. With a prize of a hundred sovereigns at stake it was the men’s money that was really sweating. On the home run it’s neck and neck but it’s Settlement that comes in first place to the delight of some lucky punters.

Produced by Gael Linn, Amharc Éireann (A View of Ireland) is Ireland’s longest-running indigenous newsreel series. It was distributed to cinemas throughout the country to  promote the Irish language. Between 1956 and 1964, 267 editions of the newsreel were produced for cinema exhibition.

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With kind permission of Gael Linn.