Widespread Shock As Thurles Racecourse Closes Its Doors With Immediate Effect

Thurles, Ireland's only privately-owned racecourse, is to close with immediate effect. The first ever recorded race meeting at the County Tipperary circuit took place in 1732 and has been in the hands of the Molony family since the early 1900s. The late Pierce Molony took over the running of Thurles from his father Doctor Paddy Molony in 1974, but Pierce's widow Riona released a statement confirming the family's decision to retire from racing. She said, "It has been an honour and a privilege for our family to have run Thurles...