Welcome to the 83rd National Coursing Meeting (written by the Coursing Club)

ALL is in readiness for the 83rd running of the National Coursing Meeting which takes place at Powerstown Park, Clonmel, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, February 4, 5 and 6.
This renowned coursing festival swings into action on Sunday, February 3, with the 40th running of the prestigious Ladies’ International Open Meeting, run over the preserves of Clonmel and District Club.
If accommodation bookings are a yardstick, the crowds attending the festival will again be of epic proportions and, no doubt, the home numbers will be swollen by a large influx of sports people from the UK, and from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the Middle East.
To each of those, friends and supporters from far and near, we extend a hearty welcome and good wishes for a pleasant sojourn at Suirside.
As always, the local voluntary committee has done trojan work in preparing the coursing grounds, and in training and husbanding the all-important hare stock. The sport of coursing is in their debt. We also wish to pay tribute to those many clubs who have been so helpful and co-operative in ensuring the success of the National Meeting.
The National Meeting and the sport of coursing is very fortunate in its generous sponsors, Boylesports, the Nallen family of Hotel Minella, the Classics Club and Stockproof Fencing Products. Our thanks to one and all.
Congratulations to all who have succeeded in producing a qualifier for next week’s Classics at Powerstown Park.
To qualify a greyhound for a place at Clonmel is a wonderful achievement, yet remains an unrealised ambition for so many.
To all who have succeeded in this quest, we wish good luck in running, a fair test and a true result.
To those who have not, as yet, had the good fortune to have a National Meeting qualifier, we express the wish that their day will soon arrive.
We are confident that the 83rd renewal of the National Coursing Meeting will add another glorious chapter to the great history of the sport of coursing in Ireland.
Jerry Desmond, CEO, Irish Coursing Clubccccccc