A leading activist calling for the banning of greyhound racing in Ireland has labelled a recent change to the operating procedures of Lifford’s Greyhound Stadium as a “face-saving exercise”.
Nuala Donlon of Greyhound Action Ireland made the claim to Donegal Daily following an announcement made last week that Lifford Stadium would be changing its operating model.
Greyhound Racing Ireland, the governing body of greyhound racing in the state, announced last week that the Lifford Stadium would be returning to their operating model, as regards prize money and totes.
This means that while the track is still privately owned and operated, Greyhound Racing Ireland would now be directly funding the prize money awarded at the track, and operation of any betting activities taking place there also.
The Lifford Stadium initially shut after a report commissioned by the Irish Greyhound Board found that it and three other tracks were not financially viable in 2019.
It reopened in 2023 after a group headed by British professional gambler Harry Findlay, called Canaradzo Ltd, purchased the track and agreed a deal with Tote UK as regards prize money and totes.
However just two years after the track’s reopening, it is now turning to Greyhound Racing Ireland to fund and operate a major part of its business.
According to Nuala Donlon of Greyhound Action Ireland, this is a face-saving exercise for a greyhound racing industry that has become ever-more reliant solely on government funding for its survival.
“The news that Greyhound Racing Ireland is now stepping in to run Lifford is a clear indication that this stadium is as economically unviable in 2025 as it was in 2019,” she claimed.
“This is clearly a face-saving exercise on the part of the greyhound board.”
“In the wake of the recent bans on greyhound racing in New Zealand, Wales and Tasmania, they simply cannot afford, from a PR perspective to have Lifford Stadium close down for a second time in six years. Instead, the Irish taxpayer will foot the bill to spare their blushes,” she claimed.
Greyhound Racing Ireland receives tens of millions of euro of taxpayer funding each year, including over €19 million in the last Budget.
That is more than three times the direct Government funding that the FAI is set to receive over the next three years, with €6 million per year being allocated to Ireland’s national football federation until 2027.
This level of Government funding is being provided despite the fact that many greyhound tracks around the country are empty, according to Greyhound Action Ireland.
According to data collected by the group, greyhound stadiums across Ireland were between 70-91% empty in 2023 – and that in 2024, attendance figures had fallen by a further 24,742 people.
Donlon also stressed the importance of comparing Lifford to the other stadiums which were shut in 2019 after also being found to be financially unviable.
“The three other greyhound (stadiums) identified as economically unviable in the Indecon Report were Enniscorthy, Youghal and Longford,” she said.
“Longford closed in 2020. Youghal has received €763,000 from Greyhound Racing Ireland since 2020 to keep it afloat. In 2024, two paying customers attended races at Youghal Greyhound Track.”
Donegal Daily contacted Greyhound Racing Ireland for comment regarding a number of matters raised in this story, including how much funding they would be providing to Lifford Stadium to provide prize money and tote operations.
This publication also asked Greyhound Racing Ireland if any attendance or financial figures were available regarding Lifford Stadium.
In response, Greyhound Racing Ireland said the following:
“To clarify, any queries in relation to attendances or the operation of Lifford Greyhound Stadium in recent years would need to be addressed directly to the stadium operators, as Lifford was licensed as an independent track during that time and operated outside of RCÉ’s (Rásaíocht Con Éireann’s) remit,” Greyhound Racing Ireland said.
When previously contacted by Donegal Daily for press comment, Lifford Stadium has asked this publication to send press inquiries to Greyhound Racing Ireland.
“It is also important to note that the decision to cease operations in 2019 was made by the local operators. As outlined in the press release issued last week, Lifford has now returned to the RCÉ racing model as a privately owned and operated stadium under the remit of RCÉ, with access to prizemoney and Tote structures,” they said.
While the track was closed by its private operator in 2019, that decision was made on the foot of a report commissioned by The Irish Greyhound Board – now known as Greyhound Racing Ireland.
“In relation to your query regarding prizemoney and Tote, Lifford will now operate under the standard RCÉ arrangements, meaning prizemoney allocations and Tote retention rates in line with RCÉ’s national structures. As Lifford is a privately owned enterprise, RCÉ does not comment on the wider financial model or profit and loss of the stadium, which remains a matter for its operators.”
Donegal Daily also asked Greyhound Racing Ireland again for comment regarding recent concerns raised about animal welfare at the Lifford Stadium, now that the stadium was returning its prize money and tote operations under the remit of the organisation.
As previously reported, it was alleged that three dogs suffered serious injuries, believed to be broken legs, in a recent race at the Lifford Stadium.
According to Greyhound Action Ireland, a total of 22 dogs were injured and 13 dogs were killed while racing at Lifford in 2024.
Figures obtained by Deputy Paul Murphy under a Freedom of Information Act request earlier this year also found that 11 dogs were injured at races at Lifford in the first four months of 2025, with six dogs subsequently being put down.
“On the subject of injuries at Lifford Greyhound Stadium, RCÉ has no further comment to add,” they said.
Extra funding for Lifford Stadium a “face-saving exercise” – Greyhound Action Ireland was last modified: September 2nd, 2025 by Daniel Brennan
