A bitter dispute which has cost the Irish Greyhound Board €30,000 a week since February, cost Greyhound owners over €200,000 in prize money, meant no racing in Dublin for two months and threatened the future viability of the sport looks as though it could be coming to an end.
It was announced yesterday that the Department of Education has had an offer to buy Harold’s Cross Stadium accepted by the irish Greyhound Board.
This would mean the development of the land to provide additional school space in the area, always a challenge in such a built up part of the city centre.
Harold’s Cross was closed in February with the sale of the land needed to reduce the €20 million debt under which the organisation was labouring. It had been recommended in reports to Government and the sale now simply requires the approval of the Department of Agriculture which has responsibility for the IGB.
“This decision brings to an end to a long and sometimes difficult process to sell one of our Dublin stadiums,” said IGB Chairman in a statement issued last night.
Read more of our recent coverage of the commercial side of Greyhound Racing
“It makes commercial and operational sense for the IGB. The Board is well aware of the place that Harold’s Cross had amongst the greyhound community, particularly in Dublin.”
“However I believe the sale will be of huge benefit to the industry as a whole. This will allow us for the first time in many years, a capacity to invest in the many areas that require support and attention.”
“The IGB is committed to ensuring the connection to the Harold’s Cross fraternity remains and we will go to great lengths to accommodate them at Shelbourne Park in a welcoming and respectful way.”
It is not known yet whether a planned protest by the Irish Greyhound Owners and Breeders Federation will proceed at the Dáil on Thursday. The group has been picketing racing at Shelbourne Park since the sudden closure of Harold’s Cross. The protest was planned to coincide with the appearance of IGB Officials before the Public Accounts Committee.
The sale of Harold’s Cross does give a greater sense of certainty for the industry and is well timed as the IGB seeks to appoint a permanent replacement as CEO following the departure of Geraldine Larkin in December and the interim appointment of Dr Sean Brady.
The amount of the sale price has not yet been revealed but as a transaction between a Government Department and a commercial semi state body it will do so in time.
For now the imperative for all sections of the sport, from management to grass roots must be to get back to racing and put the bitterness of the last few months in a box, if not to be forgotten or fully forgiven then at least so as not to hamper the future of the sport.
