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RTE Sport is to broadcast three live Greyhound Racing Finals during primetime Friday and Saturday night slots over the next six months.

RTÉ Group Head of Sport Ryle Nugent joined Colin Walsh, the Irish Greyhound Board’s Director of Commercial Operations,  to announce the broadcast deal that will mean three and a half hours of live coverage and features on the mainstream RTE 2 TV channel as well as on RTE Online in order to facilitate international viewing.

The Greyhound Board already has a healthy overseas betting market through simulcast broadcasting of major events and this new venture will enhance the sports reputation here as one of the world’s leading players in the sport.

The racing finals being shown on RTÉ Two will showcase a nationwide spread of events involving greyhound stadia in Limerick, Kerry and Dublin.

The first event will be on Saturday night, April 26th, the final of the Con and Anne Kirby Puppy Stakes from Limerick Stadium.  This is the world’s richest races for young dogs, with a prize fund of €160,000, and has grown successfully in the last two years as a major fundraiser and social event for GAA clubs in the South West.

The second event will be the final of the Race of Champions from the Kingdom track in Tralee on June 6th.

The third broadcast will be a 90 minute show covering the final of this year’s Irish Greyhound Derby from Shelbourne Park in Dublin.

“RTÉ is delighted to continue our support of Irish greyhound racing,” said Ryle Nugent, Group Head of Sport at RTE.  “Whilst in line with our commitment to reduce our sports rights budget,  Irish greyhound racing  coverage continues to be important for us and represents part of our public service broadcasting remit. We look forward to bringing the public all the very best live action and excitement in Irish greyhound racing over these three events.”

“To have some of our top racing events on RTÉ Two and RTÉ online means that our sport can be viewed by both a national and international audience,” added  Colin Walsh, Director of Commercial Operations with the Irish Greyhound Board.

“Not only is this great news for existing greyhound racing fans but also a fantastic opportunity for  us to showcase top class live racing to those unfamiliar with the sport . We look forward to the first live race going on air on April 26th”