Ireland or the Emerald Isle is known for its breathtaking rolling hills, green meadows, amazing cuisine, and of course, spectacular natural wonders that attract tourists from all over the globe.

When in Ireland, make sure you visit the Giant’s Causeway, the Cliffs of Moher, the Cork and Kerry coast, and the Burren. Ireland is also a place where one of the most beloved holidays originated, Halloween.

Famous for its rugged and wild landscape, dancing, arts and crafts, mouth-watering drinks, and much more, Ireland is a truly magical place that has something for everyone.

Greyhound racing in Ireland is also extremely popular. In fact, greyhound racing in Ireland has a long and rich history. The very first racing track for greyhounds opened its doors in Ireland.

Shortly after April 1927 when the track started operating in Belfast, one greyhound racing track opened in Shelbourne Park followed by another one located in Dublin. In the following years, greyhound racing tracks opened in Dublin at Harold Cross and Belfast at Dunmore Stadium.

Today, there are nineteen greyhound racing tracks in the country including seven major greyhound stadiums in the Munster province in the cities of Thurles, Clonmel, Youghal, Waterford, Tralee, Limerick, and Cork.

The Mullingar province is also home to several greyhound racing stadiums including those located in Longford, Enniscorthy, Newbridge, Kilkenny, and Dundalk. Traveling to the north and west of Ireland, visitors come across greyhound racing tracks located in Lisburn, Lifford, Derry, and Galway.

History of Greyhound Racing in Ireland

To examine the history of greyhound racing in Ireland, we have to back to 1927. In April of this year, the very first greyhound racing track opened its doors. It was located in Belfast in Celtic Park.

Three decades later, the Irish Government established the Irish Greyhound Board that was tasked with promoting as well as operating greyhound racing tracks in the country. In Northern Ireland, greyhound racing was regulated and promoted by the Irish Coursing Club.

Seventeen greyhound racing tracks operating today are monitored by the Irish Greyhound Board and the rest by the Irish Coursing Club.

Greyhound racing has evolved from coursing. In 1926, another form of racing with animals was introduced in Britain. This led to the creation of numerous greyhound racing tracks not only in the UK but also in Ireland.

Greyhound racing is more popular in the Republic in Ireland, but there are several greyhound racing tracks in Northern Ireland. Greyhound betting is equally popular with many greyhound betting sites promoted on sites like bestbettingsites.com/ireland/.

In order to improve the welfare of animals, a new regulation was introduced back in 2019, the Greyhound Racing Ireland Act.

New authorities were formed by the act and each one of them is responsible for taking actions against individuals or companies that do not operate according to strict welfare industry standards. If you are interested in adopting a retired racing greyhound, there are some things to keep in mind.

How to Adopt a Retired Racing Greyhound?

There are many different, mostly non-profit organizations that are finding forever homes for ex-racing greyhounds and many of these operate in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

The best way to find a lovely retired racing greyhound is through one of these organizations since they can give you all the information you need on taking care of these animals the right way.

These organizations do not only promote the adoption of retired race dogs but also the welfare of greyhounds by offering information and support to individuals interested in adoption, businesses that run greyhound tracks, and other organizations.

So, you want to provide a long home for a retired racing greyhound. These are the things to keep in mind. Greyhound dogs are extremely friendly like all other dogs, but they have some unique characteristics due to their extensive training.

Greyhounds are very social, but they are also pack animals that prefer living in an environment with a well-established social hierarchy. The socialization factor is very strong among these beloved animals because they have grown up in the company of many other dogs.

They need their alpha figure or the pack leader in order to behave well. You as an owner should take on this pack leader role. This means you need to set and enforce the rules and of course, take care of your furry friend’s safety, well-being and health.

Most issues arise when owners do not understand the importance of being the pack leader. Once you set the rules as the pack leader, your dog’s behavior will significantly improve. Greyhounds are also very active, they like to explore and run. Make sure your dog has enough space to be active and you will have no issues with co-existing with your beloved furry friend.