Sporting Icons To Support Greyhound Racing – From Darts, GAA to Football

Ahead of the start of BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby next month, we’ve decided to look at those from across sporting spheres who have partaken in the sport from Darts World Champions to multiple-time All-Ireland winners.

Darts –  Gerwyn Price, Wayne Mardle and Michael Smith

With the BoyleSports 2024 World Grand Prix underway there is only one place where we could start and that’s the connection between both the sports of Darts and Greyhound Racing especially in recent years!

First up, “The Iceman” Gerwyn Price after a spell in rugby switched to darts in 2014 quickly making a splash becoming one of the sport's best-known names in part due to his victories in the World Grand Prix 2020 and World Championship 2021.

Price is a lifelong supporter of the industry owning several dogs including “Grandslam Champ” and most recently Icemans Girl who has won 6 of her first 17 races. He became a “Greyhound Ambassador” for the GBGB in January 2021 and had the following to say.

“As a lover of greyhounds and the sport and owning a few dogs myself it is a real honour to be asked to be a Greyhound Ambassador by GBGB. I hope I can encourage others out there to find out more about the sport and the thrill of greyhound ownership.”

Another supporter of Greyhound Racing is Wayne Mardle, former Darts player and now well-known broadcaster Wayne Mardle. When describing his passion for the sport when young he said

“Greyhound racing was my full-time hobby growing up”…I was so obsessed I could name every dog on sight as soon as they arrived at the stadium with their trainer. I’m a dog person and love being around them”.

Recently it was announced that Wayne Mardle and Michael Smith were set to go into joint ownership of a greyhound with the pair reportedly on the lookout for a dog!

GAA –  Jimmy Barry Murphy and Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh

There has always been an inextricable link between GAA and Greyhound Racing with success in the former very often linked to an area where Greyhound Racing flourishes from Dublin and Kilkenny in Leinster to Tipperary, Cork and Kerry et al in Munster being particular standouts.

One man encapsulates this link better than anyone and that’s a multiple-time All-Ireland winner in both Hurling (5) and Football (1) with his county Cork as a player. He also had two spells as Cork Hurling Manager 1995-2000 and 2011-2015 the highlight of his coaching career being when he guided them to an All-Ireland Hurling Championship in 1999 when they defeated Kilkenny.

Away from GAA Jimmy Barry Murphy has a huge interest in Greyhound Racing and is a director of Curraheen Park (Cork) Greyhound Stadium. In May 2021 he received a Hall of Fame award for services to greyhound racing as well as being a supporter of coursing.

"Some of the most fantastic people and decent people I've ever been involved with in any sport are involved in greyhound racing"

Another former supporter of Greyhound Racing is the recently deceased GAA broadcasting legend Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh who had a lifelong passion for greyhound racing and would regularly speak passionately about the sport.

His greatest success in the sport came with Razldazl Rioga, a dog he was gifted from the Irish Greyhound Board to honour his retirement from broadcasting in 2010. That dog would go on to be one of the quickest hounds around winning the Irish Laurels in Cork and by extension 23 wins from 51 outings culminating in its final and successful outing in the Irish Sprint Cup at Dundalk in 2013.

Apart from those two, you will regularly see GAA fundraisers held throughout the year in tracks across the country as well as various GAA trophies being on show following the business end of the GAA season.

Football –  Niall Quinn, Harry Redknapp and Vinny Jones

With the International Football window set to take place in the coming days, it would be remiss of us not to mention some of the footballing fraternity who love a dabble at the Greyhounds!

The Dubliner is not only a former Arsenal, Man City and Sunderland striker but most importantly (from an Irish perspective) represented the Republic of Ireland an incredible 93 times at Senior Level scoring 22 times making him the country's second highest-ever scorer after Robbie Keane. Since retiring from the sport despite his business and footballing exploits he’s always found time for Greyhound Racing and Coursing being pictured at Tralee Greyhound Stadium and Powerstown Park throughout the years.

Another man known for his support of Greyhound Racing is former football manager Harry Redknapp who is best known for his exploits as Tottenham manager from 2008-2012. Away from football Redknapp has a passion for racing both horse racing and greyhound racing

Last but not least (for this list anyway) is former Wimbledon, Chelsea (among others) and Wales “hardman” footballer Vinnie Jones who in more recent years has turned to acting playing roles in the likes of X-Men and The Gentleman. However, he always finds some spare time for the dogs! Vinne has been a long supporter of both Greyhound Racing (in the UK and Ireland) as well as Coursing where he would regularly make the yearly excursion to Powerstown Park. He even combined his acting exploits with his interest in 2005 when he played his part in an interactive DVD Vinnie Jones Gone To The Dogs.

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