Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Thurles Racecourse.Donall Farmer/INPHO FreeEnd of an era Thurles racecourse announces closure with immediate effect Ireland’s only private racecourse has been owned by the Molony family since the 1900s. 9.34am, 1 Aug 2025 Share options THURLES RACECOURSE HAS been closed with immediate effect. Owned by the Molony family since the early 1900’s, Thurles was Ireland’s only privately owned racecourse and a cornerstone of National Hunt Racing. The first ever recorded race-meeting at Thurles took place in 1732. The late Pierce Molony took over from his father Doctor Paddy Molony in 1974, and together with their family they have worked hard at the business for the last 50 years. Advertisement Although Thurles Racecourse is fully licenced to race until 31 December 31 and has 11 prominent fixtures in the 2025/26 racing calendar, the Molony Family will not race again. Riona Molony, wife of Pierce, officially announced the family’s decision to retire from racing at the iconic Tipperary track. “It has been an honour and a privilege for our family to have run Thurles Racecourse, and I am officially announcing our retirement today. We are very proud of the immense contribution our family has made to racing and we are most grateful to our extended racecourse family, our dedicated staff, generous sponsors, loyal patrons and the wider racing community for all your support. “Horse-racing is part of the fabric of our family, and we have been very fortunate to have made so many great friends within the industry over the years. My family and I look forward to going racing with you again, as spectators. “Since my beloved husband Pierce passed away in 2015, with the help of our four daughters Patricia, Helen, Ann Marie and Kate and our wonderful staff, we’ve managed to keep the show on the road and I know he would be very proud of us for that. “The girls all have their own families, careers and lives to live. Ever increasing industry demands and the cost of doing business has also been a major factor. “We’re going to enjoy this time together and relax now the decision is made and the news is out before we consider our options.” Sinead Farrell Viewcomments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “Thurles racecourse announces closure with immediate effect”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “Thurles racecourse announces closure with immediate effect”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. 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