Thurles racecourse, the only privately owned track in Ireland, has officially closed its doors with immediate effect.
The historic venue, located just outside the town of Thurles in Co Tipperary, has been owned by the Molony family for over 100 years and was a cornerstone of Ireland’s winter racing calendar, renowned for its ability to stage meetings in challenging weather conditions.
Riona Molony, who took over the running of the course following the passing of her husband Pierce in 2015, confirmed the decision on Friday morning, marking the first racecourse closure in Ireland since Tralee in 2008.
“It has been an honour and a privilege for our family to have run Thurles racecourse, and I am officially announcing our retirement today,” Molony said.
“We are very proud of the immense contribution our family has made to racing and we are most grateful to our extended racecourse family, our dedicated staff, generous sponsors, loyal patrons and the wider racing community for all your support.
“Horse racing is part of the fabric of our family, and we have been very fortunate to have made so many great friends within the industry over the years. My family and I look forward to going racing with you again, as spectators.”
Molony added: “Since my beloved husband Pierce passed away in 2015, with the help of our four daughters Patricia, Helen, Ann Marie and Kate and our wonderful staff, we’ve managed to keep the show on the road and I know he would be very proud of us for that.
“The girls all have their own families, careers and lives to live. Ever increasing industry demands and the cost of doing business has also been a major factor.”
Thurles hosted its first recorded race meeting in 1732 and has remained under Molony family ownership since the early 20th century. While the track is licensed to race until the end of this year and has fixtures assigned for the 2025/26 season, it is uncertain whether those meetings will proceed.
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