TIPPERARY NEW YEAR’S NENAGH – Amharc Éireann: Eagrán 32

New Year’s Day, 1960, and the annual greyhound coursing contest was underway in Nenagh. All bets were off as the crowd gathered and the competition began. The judges took to the course on horseback to survey the long and extensive track, the hare was released and the hounds were soon in pursuit. There were 6 competitions in total, and with business booming for the bookies and prizes ranging from £20 to £60, it wasn’t just the greyhounds that had a ‘thirst for blood’.

Nowadays, in Ireland greyhounds wear a muzzle to protect the hare. However in many countries, due to animal cruelty laws, coursing has been banned completely.

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.