Grand National (Irish greyhound race)
The Grand National was a greyhound racing competition held annually at various tracks throughout Ireland.
| Feature race (discontinued) | |
| Inaugurated | 1928 |
|---|---|
| Last run | 2020 |
| Sponsor | Greyhound & Petworld Luxury Transport |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 525 yards hurdles |
| Surface | Sand |
| Qualification | hurdlers only |
The race was inaugurated in 1928 at Shelbourne Park and was shared between the two Dublin tracks of Shelbourne and Harold's Cross Stadium before being switched to the old Cork (Western Road) Greyhound Stadium just before World War II.
Kilkenny Greyhound Stadium hosted the race in 1960 & 1961 until Thurles Greyhound Stadium took over from 1962 to 1984. The competition returned to Shelbourne in 1985 for another 15 years but once again the nomadic race switched to Harold's Cross and was staged from 2001 to 2016 at the track. Following the closure of Harold's Cross, the event was switched to Cork in 2017.
It was the leading hurdle event in Ireland and an integral part of the Irish greyhound racing calendar. The event came to an end after the 2020 edition.