Attendance at greyhound tracks around Ireland fell by 1,701 last year, recently released figures reveal.

The Greyhound Racing Ireland statistics show that attendance was down at most tracks, leaving no doubt that more and more people are continuing to reject the dog-killing activity.

Attendance details for the 15 remaining tracks were released in response to a Dail Question from Paul Murphy TD (Solidarity-People Before Profit).

As in previous years, Greyhound Racing Ireland has deceitfully attempted to boost its “total attendance” by ridiculously including 86,520 entries by those involved in racing at tracks, i.e. greyhound owners, greyhound trainers and bookmakers, as well as 441 entries by members of the press. However, when this large proportion is excluded, a true picture of actual attendance emerges.

Youghal was the emptiest track at races in 2025. According to the GRI stats, its attendance for the entire year was ZERO. The attendance the previous year was 2.

Curraheen Park had an attendance of 27,736 at a total of 98 race meetings, with an average attendance of 283. Curraheen Park has a stated capacity of “1340 persons, between the ground and first floor” and was therefore around 79% empty on average at race meetings in 2025. 

Galway stadium had an attendance of 16,050 across 93 meetings, meaning an average of 173 per race meeting. With a capacity of “974 persons, between the ground and first floor”, the stadium was 82% empty on average.

The attendance for Limerick Stadium was just 18,141 over 114 meetings or an average of 159. It has a capacity of “2,012 persons, between the ground and first floor” and was therefore 92% empty on average at race meetings in 2025.

Mullingar Stadium recorded an attendance of 5,998, and with 139 race meetings across 2025, its average attendance was a mere 43. With a stated capacity of 255 (between its two floors), it was therefore 83% empty on average.

At Newbridge Stadium’s 55 race meetings, there was a total attendance of 7,755, or 141 on average at each meeting. It has a capacity of 630 (between ground and first floor) and was therefore around 78% empty at each meeting.

At Shelbourne Park in Dublin, the attendance for 140 meetings was 93,331 (an average of 667 per race meeting). Greyhound Racing Ireland’s “flagship stadium” has a capacity of “4,200 persons, between the ground, intermediate, first and second floor”, meaning that, on average, it was around 84% empty at race meetings in 2025.

Tralee track had an attendance of 17,933 at 145 race meetings. With an average entry of just 124 and a capacity of 1,310, this track was on average 91% empty. 

Waterford track, which has a stated capacity of “450 persons, between the ground and first floor”, was on average 81% empty at its 102 meetings in 2025. Its attendance stood at 8,517, with an average entry of 84.

The attendance at Clonmel track was 8,588. There were 103 meetings during the year, meaning its average attendance was just 83. Clonmel track has a stated capacity of 541 and was therefore 85% empty on average.

A breakdown of attendance for Dundalk Stadium was not provided by Greyhound Racing Ireland. The “total attendance” claimed by GRI was 28,252 but this figure includes greyhound owners, greyhound trainers and bookmakers. The average numbers present at the 98 meetings at the track, including all of these insiders, was 288. Dundalk track has a stated capacity of 3,390 and was therefore over 92% empty on average at race meetings.

Enniscorthy’s attendance was 12,010, or an average of 154 for 78 meetings.

At Kilkenny track there was an annual attendance of just 7,964 – that’s an average of 83 people at 96 race meetings.
 
At Thurles Park track, the figure for attendance was 6,731. There were 53 race meetings, putting the average attendance at 127.  

The attendance figures for Lifford track in County Donegal was 5,670. With 104 race meetings there during 2025, the average attendance was just 55.

The total attendance for the 15 tracks in 2025 (excluding greyhound owners/trainers/bookies/press) was 264,676. That’s 1,701 less than the corresponding figure for 2024 (266,377).

Excluding free entries by children (18,818) and promotional entries (10,250), the number for paid attendance was even lower at 235,608.

Compared to the previous year, 12 tracks out of 15 recorded decreases in attendance in 2025. They were .

Curraheen Park (Down 1,991 or 7%)
Galway (Down 2,243 or 12%)
Mullingar (Down 1,521 or 20%)
Newbridge (Down 1,948 or 20%)
Tralee (Down 2,007 or 10%)
Waterford (Down 1,568 or 16%)
Youghal (Down 2 or 100%)
Clonmel (Down 184 or 2%)
Dundalk (Down 1,888 or 6%)
Enniscorthy (Down 4,781 or 28%)
Kilkenny (Down 1,667 or 17%)
Thurles Park (Down 413 or 6%)

The overall number of entries into tracks, including by those involved in greyhound racing, fell by a massive 6,504. There were related drops at all tracks except Shelbourne Park.

Just two tracks saw an increase in attendance by members of the public – Limerick (up 256 or 1%) and Shelbourne Park (up 12,586 or 16%). The increase at Shelbourne Park included a 1,660 jump in the number of children at the track, 2,364 more student entries and an extra 394 promotional entries).

Worryingly, a large proportion of attendances at many tracks was made up of minors. At the 14 tracks where details were provided, there were 18,818 entries by children. Children who visit tracks are exposed to a gambling environment where they see betting normalised. This at a time when there is a gambling addiction epidemic in Ireland, with efforts to steer the next generation away from betting.

Growing awareness about suffering and death in greyhound racing is undoubtedly a contributing factor in falling attendances. 

At races around Ireland in 2025, 344 greyhounds suffered injuries and more than half of them (197) were killed. The figures do not include the greyhounds injured at tracks and later killed elsewhere, or the thousands of greyhounds who are killed behind the scenes every year because they are not fast enough to win races.

ICABS has brought the low level of public interest in greyhound racing and Greyhound Racing Ireland’s inflated, misleading “attendance” figures to the attention of Simon Harris as part of an appeal to the government to stop ploughing millions of euros of taxpayers’ money into this unpopular and dying “industry”.

Since 2001, Greyhound Racing Ireland has received €386,806,146 in grants, including €19 million for 2024, €19.82 million for 2025 and €19.82 million for 2026. This is unacceptable and must be stopped.

Download the 2023, 2024 and 2025 attendance statistics
https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/attendance-2023-2024-2025.pdf

ACTION ALERT

Don’t go greyhound racing. Tell the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Sinn Fein to stop the funding and back a ban on this dog-killing gambling activity.

Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Tel: 01 619 4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
X: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD

Simon Harris TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01 281 3727
Email: simon.harris@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
X: http://www.twitter.com/SimonHarrisTD
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeputySimonHarris

Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
X: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD

Please sign and share the petitions

GAA: Stop club fundraisers at greyhound tracks
https://www.change.org/p/gaa-stop-club-fundraisers-at-greyhound-tracks

Tell Gain Pet Nutrition to Stop Sponsoring Greyhound Racing
https://www.change.org/p/jimtracy-glanbia-ie-tell-gain-pet-nutrition-to-stop-sponsoring-greyhound-racing

Watch RTE’s award-winning “Greyhounds Running For Their Lives” documentary
https://youtu.be/ZYTb2qBjlMM

REPORTED GREYHOUND INJURIES AND DEATHS AT IRISH TRACKS

2025: 344 injuries, 197 deaths
2024: 389 injuries, 202 deaths
2023: 257 injuries, 134 deaths
2022: 287 injuries. 122 deaths
2021: 351 injuries. 154 deaths
2020: 255 injuries. 90 deaths
2019: 332 injuries. 119 deaths
2018: 353 injuries. 121 deaths
2017: 357 injuries. 124 deaths
2016: 427 injuries. 139 deaths
2015: 422 injuries. 122 deaths
2014: 266 injuries. 69 deaths (July to Dec 2014)