Talking Dogs on Thursday

In this week's podcast Barry Drake is joined by greyhound racing legend Dolores Ruth. Dolores has just recently returned to the greyhound training scene after renewing her public training license. She is currently busy revamping her kennels in efforts to create a top-class space for training. Dolores talks fondly about the many successes she has had over the years, including two Irish Derby titles...

This week Barry Drake is joined by a passionate greyhound supporter Padjoe Dorney. Padjoe spoke fondly of his childhood memories shared at Thurles Greyhound Stadium. He reminisces about the many nights he spent there and the electric atmosphere of race nights. He also chats about his father's involvement with greyhound racing. Padjoe is passionate about seeing people and families return to the sta...

Francis Murray Jnr joins Barry Drake this week. The Murray family are well-known in the sport and it all began with Francis’ grandfather, with greyhounds first coming into the family in 1927. His father followed suit, taking out a licence in 1977, and since then has won almost all of the big competitions in Greyhound Racing and is still going strong. Based outside Mullingar, the operation is very...

Clare man Noel Hehir joins Barry Drake to chat all things greyhound racing this week. Noel developed a love of the sport as a child. Since he began training himself he has been lucky to have some great greyhounds, including Coolavanny Chick who finished 3rd in the 2020 English Greyhound Derby. They also chat about recent success and other hopefuls in the kennel. Have a listen!

For the final podcast of the year, Barry Drake is joined by Justin Muldoon. Justin, his brother Pat and the family have been enjoying following some great greyhounds of late and they chat about them including their English Derby final runner-up and Russian Glory who has been making his mark in the last quarter of 2021. Based in Co. Armagh, Justin shares memories of the sport growing up in Northern...

Barry is joined by Elaine Guiney in this week's episode. Elaine is the daughter of Con Guiney, owner of Jacob Tashadelek and she chats to Barry fresh from a great victory in Curraheen Park on Tuesday night in The O' Learys Driving School Open 575 Final. Jacob Tashadelek has been making his mark in some of the biggest events across the country this year. Elaine and all the family have been getting...

This week, Barry Drake is joined by Tom Pa O'Connor from Kerry. Tom is well known among the greyhound community, a very popular trainer for many years. His son Patrick has since taken over training with the family's Saleen prefix making their mark over the years. In recent days, Tom's name has been shared far and wide across social media as he has launched a great fundraiser for 3 cancer charities...

A bumper greyhound racing chat in this episode as Barry Drake is joined by two guests this week. Trainer Karol Ramsbottom enjoyed great success at the Winter Racing Festival and he chats to Barry about the wins and some of his other greyhounds in training. Barry's second guest is Willie Rigney, a man who is well known to the greyhound public and he recalls memories of the sport with Barry and give...

A man that needs no introduction, trainer Liam Dowling joins Barry Drake this week. The Kerry man chats about his Matchbook Irish St. Leger win last weekend in Limerick Greyhound Stadium with Ballymac Merlin, his 2nd win in the Classic. They look ahead to this weekend's Winter Racing Festival in Shelbourne Park which promises to be a fantastic weekend of racing. There's plenty to talk about, have...

Barry Drake is joined this week by a man he calls "the Scooby man", Steve Noble. He joins Barry from London where he first got involved in greyhounds as a teenager. Steve is enjoying particular success on the track at the moment with his Scooby greyhounds with trainer Jennifer O'Donnell. Barry gets an update on Scooby Princess and of course they chat about Scooby Prince who will contest the final...

Trainer Thomas Buggy joins Barry Drake to chat all things greyhound racing in this week's podcast. Thomas' mother got her first greyhound at the age of 14 and since then greyhounds have been a huge part of family life. His mother trained over 500 winners & 2 classic winners before stepping back when Thomas took out his own trainers licence but it's still very much a family business. Thomas reached...

Trainer Thomas O'Donovan joins Barry Drake on this week's podcast episode. Born into a greyhound family, Thomas recalls some great highlights, including a memorable night in Shelbourne Park when He Said So won the Derby for his father. Thomas worked in greyhound racing in Australia before returning with greyhounds for breeding here in Ireland. Since returning to training in Ireland he has enjoyed...

Barry speaks to Michael Lonergan from Tipperary in this week's episode. Michael is now retired but he has been involved in greyhounds all his life and worked as a Control Steward. Spending 29 years in the job, he operated between Clonmel and Youghal. Since retiring, he's returned to greyhound ownership and currently is enthusiastically following some great greyhounds he bred. He has memories of gr...

This week Barry brings us a bumper episode to enjoy. He is joined by Curraheen Park Racing Manager, Brian Collins, and Friends & Supporters of Cork Greyhound Racing Chairman Jimmy Barry Murphy as they look forward to this Saturday Irish Laurels Final. Barry also catches up with Deirdre Leahy after Droopys Gloss' victory in the SIS Juvenile Derby Final in Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium last week...

Kerry man Chris Houlihan joins Barry Drake this week to talk all things greyhound racing. Chris has some great tales to tell from his introduction to greyhounds, working in the UK and establishing himself as a trainer when he came home. He talks about his great Laurels victory with Cashen Legend at a time when he had just been diagnosed with Leukemia. He also went on to win another big classic, th...

Olivia Hogan from Nenagh and Anna Stapel from both join Barry on this week's episode. Olivia grew up immersed in greyhounds (Five Alley prefix) and she chats to Barry about her experiences. During the pandemic, she helped out a family friend, bringing his greyhounds racing during restrictions and has enjoyed listening to his memories and learning from him. Anna was introduced to greyhounds in 2018...

Thurles man Brendan O'Neill joins Barry Drake this week for a chat. Brendan has been involved in greyhound racing since he was a child, developing his love of the sport working with his granduncle Paddy Sheehy. Brendan recalls some great characters and racing stories from over the years. Brendan is an agent for Ray Patterson, witnessing some great successes over the years - he can reel off some im...

Trainer Owen McKenna joins Barry in this week's podcast. A man who needs no introduction - a must-listen, enjoy the chat! Owen enjoyed his 2nd Derby success at the weekend when Susie Sapphire claimed a popular victory in the 2021 BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby.

It's a double episode this week as two young trainers join Barry this week. Dean Harpur recently took out his trainers licence. His family didn't have greyhounds but as a child he developed a love of greyhounds growing in Wexford. At the age of 21, he and his grandfather got two greyhounds, built kennels and runs and built it from there! Dean was also part of the syndicate behind Cash Ready, a fin...

Barry Drake speaks to Waterford man Dan Casey in this episode. Dan shares some local greyhound memories with Barry and tells him about his own greyhounds in training. Of course, Dan and his business, Caseys Caravan & Camping, are valued sponsors in Waterford. The Final of the Caseys Caravan & Camping 525 will take place in Kilcohan Park this Saturday. Barry and Dan chat about the competition and t...

Barry Drake catches up with Gavin O'Mahoney in this week's episode. Gavin is a sponsor, an owner and a passionate greyhound racing supporter. Gavin's real involvement in racing began when he met his wife Elaine in London and he joined her for a trip to the 2014 English Derby in Wimbledon to meet her family, the Dunphys of Droopys Stud. Gavin came on board as a sponsor in Kilcohan Park last year wi...

Barry Drake speaks to trainer Peter Cronin in this episode. The well-known trainer takes Barry back to his early days in Tipperary growing up immersed in greyhound racing. Developing a love of greyhound racing from his father Michael, Peter has passed it on to the next generation to his own sons. They look back on some of Peter's more memorable greyhounds and of course the chat turns to his hopefu...

This week, Barry is talking all things greyhound racing with Dermot Leahy in Thurles. Dermot had a most impressive winner at Curraheen Park on Saturday night, Russmur Pat, winning his opening round heat of the Greyhound & Petworld A1 stake. He operates a small training kennel while also working full-time and is a young trainer that’s going places, have a listen to their chat now.

A man that needs no introduction, Barry's guest this week is Liam Dowling, the "Ballymac" man. The Kerryman gives an insight into his family history in greyhounds and his own kennels. Of course, a big part of their chat looks ahead to the 2021 BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby. Liam shares his thoughts and gives Barry an update on their contenders. Make a cuppa and have a listen to their chat! Don...

Fresh from big race success with De Machine in the BoyleSports Champion Stakes, Barry catches up with Damien Matthews in this week's podcast. The Matthews family have enjoyed many great years in greyhound racing and Damien shares some memories from over the years and plans for the future. He also gives Barry an update on the wonderful Unlock Unlock.