Millstreet Greyhound People

To win a feature race at the Cork track for them was a huge thrill
Dan Collins and his wife Bridgie ace greyhound handlers from Cockhill
The dogs they owned and trained always well turned out and always hard to beat
They became known for training dogs far distant from Millstreet,
So many famous dog handlers in Millstreet Parish and Town
Where Donie and Jeraldine O Mahony, Dan, Dave and Paddy O Keeffe they carved their own renown
And Paddy Cashman from Tullig Hill great dogs did train and own
And the Duggan brothers Con, Andrew and Tim as a greyhound family were well known,
Con Kelleher and Sheila and their friend John from Cockhill enjoyed some great success,
Paddy Casey, Tommy and Kitty Hennessy their race winners brought them happiness,
Denis Corkery and Noreen and Noreen’s father Pat dogs with them a way of life
As well as Mick Murphy, John Pat Riordan, Pat Joe Hickey and his wife
As well as Ann Casey and her brother John Paddy’s daughter and son,
Ann used to write in The Clara News of races Millstreet dogs had won,
Mick Connie O and Maurice Connors for Liscreagh the flag did fly
With trainer Paddy O Keeffe they shared in the glory of their great dog Black July,
Denis Kelleher, Connie Mahony and the Kellys Pat and Joe
And Eddy and Delia Murphy about dogs so much they know
Joe Buckley and the McCarthy’s of Kilmeedy at the Cork track enjoyed many a win
And Jerry Shea and Dan and Jimmy Leary they were well known greyhound men,
Con Connors and Doney Donoghue they have coursed and raced dogs for years
And they talked about their greyhounds as they sank a couple of beers,
Since the days of Denny Dennehy and Steven Riordan, Matthew Riordan and Paddy Coleman Millstreet dog people to the fore
And there were many others I can mention many more
Such as Bill and Jerry Singleton, Frank Riordan and the Sheas of Cockhill
And Brendan Moynihan and Toots Kelleher and another page of names one could fill
With such as Paddy Enright, the Aubane Barretts and the Finnegans and the coursing man Con Kelleher ‘Conaray’
And like every greyhound person every greyhound has their day,
Dan Connell and Denny Hickey, Ned Sweeney and Bob Price
All were people who loved greyhounds they were dog people by choice,
Jack Corkery and his wife from Liscahane their race wins did enjoy
And Bob Justice and John Phillips I knew them as a boy
And Brendan Kiely he used to race a greyhound or two
In the Parish of Millstreet greyhound people were not few,
Danno Mahony and John Thade Riordan of Murphy’s Terrace at the Cork track them I used to see
And Eddy Collins on track and coursing greyhounds none more well informed than he
And Neily Sweeney of Keale knew so much about greyhounds the great dogs and their breeding he could recall
Of all of Millstreet’s greyhound people perhaps the best informed one of all
And add to the list Jer the Lake, Eddsy Sweeney and Mick McCarthy and there were others in Millstreet Town
Who helped to make Millstreet for it’s greyhounds a place worthy of renown
And Jacky Danny Kelleher of Aubane of Easter Memories fame
And there were many others far too many for to name
Who helped put Millstreet on the map in the World of the greyhound
A greyhound person in Millstreet is not hard to be found.