"Cheltenham will play a role in the COVID-19 cases in many counties, especially around the midlands", a health professional has told the Sunday Independent.

In a report at the weekend focusing on County Westmeath - which has recorded the highest number of coronavirus cases after Dublin and Cavan - the Independent outlined that visits to the festival by horse owners/trainers and thousands of Irish racing fans is believed to be a key factor in the spread of the virus.

The Mayor of Mullingar, Councillor Michael Dollard, pointed to the horse racing festival - which attracted 251,684 people over 4 days - as being a factor in the spread of the disease here, saying "a big number of people from Mullingar went to Cheltenham last month".

The Independent report went on to state: "Westmeath is home to a sizeable hunt club community, and, according to Horse Racing Ireland's directory, seven trainers are based in the county. There is a keen interest in the sport here. The Sunday Independent spoke to five trainers last week. None of them visited Cheltenham. Four of them knew people who had made the trip across the Irish Sea for the festival."

One horse trainer confirmed to the Independent that people who travelled to Cheltenham came back with COVID-19.

"I know five or six people who travelled over and came back with [COVID-19]," the trainer was quoted as saying. "Not all of them had it but I know some of them did, and people some of them would be in contact with had it."

There is anecdotal evidence this had a role in community transmission around Mullingar, the Independent report continued, pointing out that this has been backed up by a health professional source in Westmeath who commented: "Cheltenham will play a role in the Covid-19 cases in many counties, especially around the midlands".

The Sunday Independent report outlined that "many people are concerned about the role a bumper week in Cheltenham has had",
referring to accounts from locals that a group who travelled to the festival visited a pub in Mullingar on the way home, before continuing to another establishment nearby. It added that, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, just three pubs in Ireland have been linked to a coronavirus cluster, including two in the midlands. At least one of these cluster pubs is understood to be in Mullingar.

Read the full Sunday Independent report at
https://www.independent.ie/world-news/coronavirus/curious-tale-of-one-countys-covid-19-caseload-39121412.html

As the number of coronavirus-related deaths increase, there is growing anger in Ireland and the UK that the Cheltenham festival was allowed to go ahead on March 10, 11, 12 and 13, amid fears over the spread of the virus. The festival shamefully welcomed more than a quarter of a million racing fans over the four days - including 68,859 on the final day. The attendance figure was just 5% less than the previous year. Thousands from Ireland travelled over to Cheltenham despite the outbreak. The festival took place two weeks after the Ireland-Italy rugby match was cancelled and after Ireland's St Patrick's Day parades were called off in the interests of public health.

The continuation of horse racing in Ireland behind closed doors was condemned as "crass" and "tasteless" in an Irish Times report which noted that racing and the gambling industry were putting livelihoods ahead of lives.

There are fears also that greyhound racing meetings contributed to the spread of COVID-19. Shocking video footage posted on the Irish Greyhound Board website showed track staff and greyhound owners ignoring the government's social distancing advice to maintain a 2-metre distance from each other.

Contrary to the evidence on its own website, the IGB claimed that social distancing "is a critical measure to be observed by all” and that it would be "fully observed at all times” at tracks. However, the disturbing video filmed at tracks around the country showed stadium staff standing next to each other and individuals in near-empty stands shoulder-to-shoulder watching dogs running by. The IGB attempted to hide footage of the moment greyhound trainers simultaneously rush in to retrieve dogs after races have ended, with the video swiftly panning away before this could be seen. For a small selection of races, however, it was possible to briefly see up to six greyhound trainers crowding in together to grab dogs.

In a letter to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Agriculture Minister Michael Creed, ICABS stated: “This cannot be allowed to continue. In the interests of public safety and doing everything possible to slow the spread of COVID-19, it is imperative for you to shut down greyhound racing today.”

Horse racing and greyhound racing was eventually ordered to stop from midnight on Tuesday 24th March.

To-date, 1,873,265 cases of COVID-19 have been reported worldwide, with 118,854 deaths. In the Republic of Ireland, 10,647 people are known to have been infected, with 365 deaths to-date. In the UK there have been 88,621 reported cases and 11,329 deaths.

Find out more about Coronavirus (COVID-19) and how you can protect yourself
https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/

SEE ALSO

The Irish horse racing and gambling industry is putting livelihoods ahead of lives - Read Brian O'Connor's column in the Irish Times in which Horse Racing Ireland's decision to continue racing is condemned as "crass" and "tasteless" https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/racing/irish-racing-and-gambling-industry-putting-livelihoods-ahead-of-lives-1.4209780

Why were thousands of Irish horse racing fans allowed to travel to the Cheltenham festival this month and what damage has it done in the fight against COVID 19 - Read Mike Burke's Letter to the Editor in the Sunday Independent.
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/posts/2819689334813273

The Irish Council Against Blood Sports is calling on the government to immediately stop greyhound racing. The call is in response to shocking video footage posted on the Irish Greyhound Board [IGB] website showing track staff and greyhound owners ignoring government advice to maintain a 2 metre distance from each other during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/photos/a.463548137094083/2798985540216986/

Shut down horse and greyhound racing: Green Party
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/photos/a.463548137094083/2808360179279522/

ACTION ALERT

STOP THE STATE FUNDING FOR HORSE AND GREYHOUND RACING

Last year, another €84 million of scarce public funds was approved for horse and greyhound racing for 2020. Since 2001, the two gambling activities have received more than one and a quarter billion euros of taxpayers’ money. Urge the leaders of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail (who have backed the grants every year) to stop the funding and redirect the money to the many worthy causes crying out for support.

Leo Varadkar
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Leave a comment on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar

Micheál Martin
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088
Leave a comment on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD

Please sign and share petitions

Irish Government: Stop Giving Millions of Euro to Cruel Greyhound Industry
https://www.change.org/p/irish-government-stop-giving-millions-of-euro-to-cruel-greyhound-industry

Ban Blood Sports in Ireland Now
https://www.change.org/petitions/ban-blood-sports-in-ireland

Ireland - Ban cruel hare coursing
www.change.org/p/ireland-ban-cruel-hare-coursing

GAA: Stop club fundraisers at greyhound tracks
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