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Thurles, Co. Tipperary’s Racecourse To Reopen for October Fixtures.

Thurles, Co. Tipperary’s Racecourse To Reopen for October Fixtures After Reprieve

Thurles Racecourse will reopen on Thursday, October 9th, after receiving a last-minute reprieve that will see it host all 11 of its scheduled fixtures through to March 2026.

The Co Tipperary track, regarded as one of Ireland’s most historic National Hunt venues, had shocked the racing community on August 1st when its owners, the Molony family, announced it was closing with immediate effect.

Following urgent talks, Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) has now agreed to take over the running of the racecourse until the end of the current fixture list. The arrangement is intended to give all parties time to draw up a longer-term plan for the future of the venue.

In a joint statement, HRI and Thurles Race Company said: “Following a positive meeting yesterday afternoon between Horse Racing Ireland and the Molony family, Thurles Race Company will facilitate the continuation of horse racing at Thurles Racecourse until March 2026, with operational responsibility passing to Horse Racing Ireland.”

The statement added that the agreement was made possible with the support of the Association of Irish Racecourses, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, and the wider industry.

The October reopening will be welcomed by racing fans, with Thurles long regarded as a favourite testing ground for Ireland’s top jump trainers and a regular stepping stone for horses destined for Cheltenham and beyond.

Dundrum House Golf & Leisure Resort, Co. Tipperary Shuts Down With 48 Jobs Lost.

The Dundrum House Golf & Leisure Resort situated in Co Tipperary has been forced to close with immediate effect, resulting in the loss of 48 jobs.

The company said the business had continued to operate at a loss and was no longer able to meet its financial obligations.
A 30-day collective redundancy consultation process with employees is expected to begin later this week.

**Dundrum House Golf & Leisure Resort**. *Pic: G.Wlloughby*.

An IPAS accommodation centre on the Dundrum House campus, which is operated independently, is not expected to be affected by the closure.

Brogan Capital Ventures, which owns and operates the golf resort, informed staff today that the company would cease trading. The decision affects the restaurant, bar, golf course, driving range, golf shop and leisure centre.

In a statement, Brogan Capital Ventures said it very much regretted the adverse impact of this decision on its valued employees, golf and leisure centre members, customers, suppliers, the local community and other stakeholders. However, they state that the closure is unavoidable given the state of the company’s current financial affairs.

Former Pupil & Hockey Player From Ursuline Convent Thurles, Sinks Germany.

Mr Tom Ryan reports:

A leading hockey player and native of Newport Co. Tipperary was on target to score the winning goal in the over 45s Euro Hockey Championship final, against Germany, in Valencia Spain, last week.

The player, Barrister Ms EJ Walsh, daughter of Ed and Stephanie Walsh, of Oakhampton, Newport, was a past pupil of the Ursuline Convent, here in Thurles. Back in 1996, Ms Walsh made history when she captained her team to win the very first All-Ireland schools Senior Hockey final, for her school.

Ms Walsh is presently married to Mr Ray Delahunt and both reside currently, with their two children, namely Hannah (aged 11) and Sam (aged 10), at their home in Donnybrook, Co. Dublin.

Ms EJ Walsh with her children holding a painting showing the moment of triumph after EJ scored the winning goal against Germany. The painting was conveyed to canvas by renowned Dublin based artist, Zanya Dahl.

The whole family were in Valencia for the Hockey final and stayed on, in that city after the tournament, to enjoy a short break.
“I was glad to meet my friend, Linda Caulfield who captained Ireland’s Senior team for many years. We had shared accommodation together for years. Linda holds 151 senior Caps” said Ms Walsh.

Ms Walsh, who specialises in Civil Litigation, now works mainly in Dublin, but still practices on the South East Circuit and will be back in Tipperary when the courts sit again in Nenagh and Thurles.

“Winning in Valencia was great, but not like winning the Kate Russell Trophy, with the Ursulines convent school back in 1996” said Ms Walsh, who still has a great ‘grá’ for her old alma mater, which she formerly attended in Thurles.

That great All-Ireland winning team of 1996, held a lovely re-union in the Ursuline Convent Thurles in 2006.

Hope For Continued Horse Racing At Thurles, Co. Tipperary Following Positive Discussions.

As yet, unnamed and undecided individuals are understood to have expressed a keen interest in taking a lease on the Thurles racetrack.

The future of racing at Thurles Racecourse remains hopeful following a “positive” meeting between Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), the Association of Irish Racecourses (AIR), and members representing the current owners.

The Molony family recently announced that they were stepping back after more than a century of running the Thurles, Co. Tipperary venue, raising fears it could close altogether.
However, the family has left the door open for new investors or managers to take over the complex.

We understand that Thurles still has six fixtures scheduled for the current year and has been allocated 11 dates pencilled into the draft 2026 fixture list, thus showing confidence that racing can and will continue.
AIR chief executive Mr Paul Hensey said he was “hopeful” of an agreement, noting the track’s importance for winter National Hunt racing.

The Molony family’s surprise decision was linked to several factors including retirement plans, the rising cost of doing business, and the impact of recent tragedies in the racing community.

A former racecourse manager Mr Angus Houston has urged authorities to ensure the Thurles track remains open, calling it “too important to lose” and suggesting the situation could be an opportunity to strengthen support across all other Irish horse racing tracks.

Unexpected Closure Of Thurles Racecourse Under Bright Spotlight.

Depending on Irish weather, some 3,000 racing events are run across Ireland every year.
Irish racing got €76 million in State funding last year, 2024, (€25,333 per each race sponsored by the Irish taxpayer) and in its new strategic plan, it is suggested that Horse Racing Ireland aims to obtain a targeted figure of over €92 million, over the next 3 years, up to end of 2028. Do we know how this money is spent?

Following the unexpected closure of Thurles racecourse, the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners (AIRO) has stated that the combination of declining media revenue rights, together with rising business costs, over recent years, is instrumental in the continuing decline of Ireland’s smaller racetracks.

The shock announcement on Friday morning last, by the Molony family, citing the cost of doing business as a major factor in their decision to immediately close Ireland’s sole privately owned racecourse, most certainly caught Horse Racing Ireland (HRI); horse racing punters and local Thurles businesses, completely by surprise.

Local politicians claimed they knew about the families intentions, while local councillors were left speechless.

It is now reckoned that this Thurles racetrack would require a multimillion euro investment, in a effort to comply with new licensing requirements, same demanded by Irish Horse-racing Regulatory Board (IHRB).

Last June, 2025, the HRI and IHRB issued minimum requirements for all racecourses, including provision for watering systems. Thurles racecourse had lost three meetings at the end of last year, due to hard ground conditions and currently does not have the now required track watering system. To install, same we understand would require an investment of at least €300,000, to set this matter to rights.
Same is now essential for all tracks, following the regulatory body’s investigation into the sad death of jockey Mr Michael O’Sullivan, due to injuries sustained in a fall at this Thurles track, last February.

A total redevelopment of the Thurles racecourse facility, which would bring same up to the new required standards, is estimated to cost about €3 million and we understand that under Horse Racing Ireland capital development fund rules, the present owners would have to pay three-fifths of any future cost, amounting to €1,800,000.

This closure highlighted in Thurles has now put the finances of Ireland’s 25 other racecourses under a very bright spotlight, with many tracks watching with worried interest at the results of Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) meeting with the Thurles track owners; understood to be happening in the near future.

The Irish Horse racing board (IHRB) rightly claim that their aim is to ensure all racecourses operate to high standards, with the safety and well-being of those participating, a major priority. They confirm that the new racecourse manual, is intended to support racecourses in that same aim over time and is not to impose sudden demands, which in turn creates unsurmountable barriers.