National Hunt and Point-to-Point Racing in Ireland
A National Passion
Frances Nolan
The Irish people have a deep affinity for horses and an enduring passion for the sport they make possible. Jump racing - often regarded as the "poor relation" of flat racing - has captured the hearts of generations across the island. Before the establishment of the GAA in the nineteenth century, steeplechasing was regarded by many as Ireland's "national sport". At the same time, equestrian sport was synonymous with the Anglo-Irish Protestant elite, who formed regulatory bodies to manage and develop flat and national hunt racing, who originated modern point-to-point racing through hunt clubs, and who bred and owned the best horses. Racing thus reflected and reinforced political, economic and social divisions in Ireland, but it also served to unite people. A shared passion for the sport - and for national hunt racing in particular - helped it to survive the turbulent early decades of the twentieth century. And the importance of bloodstock to the Irish economy meant that racing endured on an all-island basis after partition. The sport and the industry became a pillar of the fledgling Irish economy and State support ensured its survival through periods of economic turbulence. In turn, national hunt racing served as a beacon of light for the island in dark times, as horses, trainers and jockeys offered evidence of Irish excellence. In more recent decades, it has been shaped by the forces of modernity and has evolved in numerous and complex ways, presenting challenges and opportunities alike. It has also become a symbol of Irish success, with horse ownership and attendance at major national hunt festivals becoming markers of wealth and prosperity.
Tracing the evolution of national hunt and point-to-point racing in Ireland from the eighteenth century to the present day, this book is the story of a people, a place, and their horses.
Frances Nolan is an SFI-IRC Pathway Fellow based at UCD School of History, where she leads a four-year project on women’s property ownership in early modern Ireland. The author of books on political, social and gender history, she has worked for several years as a historical consultant and researcher. Dr Nolan’s family has a long association with horse racing. Her grandfather was foreman at Fairyhouse racecourse for over 50 years and her grandmother worked as a cook for trainer Dan Moore and his family. She learned to ride horses in Geraghtys' yard - the birthplace of the great Golden Miller - in Pelletstown, County Meath. Her brother previously rode in point to points and now breeds and trains thoroughbreds.
