Tipperary BAN illegal sulky racing/training/driving

31/05/2026

27/05/2026

Well done to Cllr Sara Beasley, credit to you as sulky racing on hard tarmac roads is barbaric, cruel, non-traditional and alienated to anyone that loves animals.
And it has nothing to do with tradition or culture as it only became popular with the travelling community in the past 20-25 years approx.

It's unlicensed gambling and recreational abuse:

It’s a business that pays no tax, no insurance and no compensation for accidents caused.

You should also push for Control of Horses Bye-Laws in Limerick

https://www.limerick.ie/sites/default/files/media/documents/2020-05/limerick-city-and-county-council-control-of-horses-2017-bye-laws-21-05-2020.pdf

‼️✅ MY MOTION - PASSED - Sulky Racing on Public Roads‼️ — It Has to Stop - Please Read & Share to Make Aware -
I brought a motion to a Full Limerick City and County Council Meeting to write to the Minister for Justice demanding a legislative ban on sulky racing on public roads.
🔴And I want to be crystal clear about what that means — because I know some people will misread this.
This is not about banning horses.
This is not about targeting any community.
This is not about harness racing at proper facilities.
👉This is about racing sulkies at speed on public roads — roads 🚸where your children walk to school
🚗where you drive to work
🚲where cyclists and pedestrians have every right to feel safe.

A Garda inspector said it at a public inquest nearly a decade ago — "A sulky is not a vehicle that should be used on a public highway." The law has still not caught up. That is a disgrace.

And the horses pay the price too. Earlier this year, Anne — a pregnant mare — was whipped and pushed for miles in an illegal sulky drive before being abandoned on a public road, still attached to her sulky. She died there.

That is not sport. That is not culture. That is cruelty on a public road.

The Minister for Justice needs to act. Limerick City and County Council is now formally calling on him to do so.

Enough talk. Legislation. Now.

25/05/2026

Over the weekend Tipperary RPU on patrol in the Littleton area intercepted a horse road racing incident which included a number of vehicles in convoy.

The incident was shut down promptly & a vehicle was seized under new legislation for dangerous driving, which included passengers leaning out the windows.

A number of weapons were also seized. Court appearances to follow.

.

24/05/2026

If you have concerns please do the following:
Video/picture of safe to do
Report to us and attach the footage
Contact 999 and make a report, ask for the Garda name/id of who you are reporting to, particularly note if those involved and in control of the horse appear to be under 16
Follow up with an email to the Department of Agriculture outlining your concern for the welfare of the animals - [email protected]
Follow up with an email to Department or Transport outlining your concerns for road users and pedestrians - [email protected]

Enough is Enough and it’s time to speak out and wake the authorities up!!!@

We are receiving multiple reports of sulky and trap drives, up to 50 altogether in some parts happening across the country and people are concerned for the welfare of the horses given the current hot spell 😡😡😡😡

If you have concerns please do the following:
Video/picture of safe to do
Report to us and attach the footage
Contact 999 and make a report, ask for the Garda name/id of who you are reporting to, particularly note if those involved and in control of the horse appear to be under 16
Follow up with an email to the Department of Agriculture outlining your concern for the welfare of the animals - [email protected]
Follow up with an email to Department or Transport outlining your concerns for road users and pedestrians - [email protected]

Enough is Enough and it’s time to speak out and wake the authorities up!!!

We are the voice of the innocent defenceless animals and now especially is not the time to be driving horses!!! They need us 🥺

16/05/2026

"Just sharing this as it resulted in a court case"

FIVE men were jailed today for dangerous driving after a sulky horse race caused chaos on the N20 Cork-Limerick road.
The incident on May 5 last saw drivers forced to swerve to avoid two horse-drawn buggies, called sulkies, as they travelled along the busy N20 near Blarney along with a convoy of support vehicles.

The incident was captured on a mobile camera phone by onlookers with the footage uploaded to YouTube where it has now attracted almost 500,000 'hits'.

At one point, five vehicles were driving abreast of one sulky in a bid to 'block' other motorists and allow the race to continue.

Blarney Gardai attended the scene in a desperate bid to stop the race and avoid a serious accident.

But other motorists were forced to swerve onto the grass verge and, at one point, an articulated lorry was faced with a van heading directly towards it on the wrong side of the road.

Judge Olan Kelleher warned Cork District Court that the incident had caused "havoc" on one of Ireland's busiest roads.

"They also showed a total disrespect towards other road users. The sentences reflect the gravity of the situation. This has to be a deterrent for other people," he said.

Judge Kelleher handed five-month jail sentences to Jimmy O'Brien (28) of 21 Inishannon Road, Fairhill, Cork; Patrick O'Brien (25) of 1 Woodford, Rossa Avenue, Bishopstown, Cork; Bernie McDonagh (20) of the Halting Site, Nash's Boeen, Cork; Daniel Stokes (46) of St Anthony's Park, Knocknaheeny, Cork and Christopher Roche (41) of St Anthony's Park, Knocknaheeny, Cork.

Sentencing of James Stokes (18) of St Anthony's Park, Knocknaheeny, Cork was adjourned to allow for the preparation of a Probation & Welfare Service report.

All six had pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.

The six defendants have a total of 74 previous convictions between them.

FIVE men were jailed today for dangerous driving after a sulky horse race caused chaos on the N20 Cork-Limerick road.

16/05/2026

"Just sharing this as it resulted in a court case"

Nenagh court fines sulky racers for careless driving on main road outside Roscrea

Two men who were involved in a sulky race outside Roscrea were convicted of careless driving at Nenagh District Court.

Anthony O'Donnell of 35 Richmond Park, Corbally, Limerick, and Kevin Carey of Templequain, Errill, Rathdowney, had faced charges of dangerous driving but the charges were reduced to driving without due care and attention at Ballinakill, Roscrea, on February 5, 2022.

Accepting the plea, Judge Elizabeth MacGrath said that what the defendants had been doing on a main road could lead to dangerous driving.

The court heard that the gardaí had received a call and went to the location at 1.35pm where they found a sulky race in progress.

There were cars following the sulkies and it was raining heavily, the court heard.

The court hard that Mr O'Donnell had 20 previous convictions and Mr Carey had 22, but in both cases they were all for minor traffic offences.

Mr Carey's lawyer, John Hannafin, BL, told the court that his client would not appear in court again.

“He loves horses,” said Mr Hanafin, who pointed out that Mr O'Carey uses horses as a form of therapy for himself and his children.

Mr O'Donnell's solicitor, Johnny Spencer, said that his client was no longer involved in sulky racing on the public road, but at a licensed track.

Judge MacGrath said the problem arose on the public road and she was glad to see that there was now a facility for them to enjoy the activity.

She fined both men €300 each and fixed recognizance in their own bond of €250 each.

Nenagh court fines sulky racers for careless driving on main road outside Roscrea

16/05/2026

"Just sharing this as it resulted in a court case"

Dangerous driving ban for ‘sulky racing’ fan from Killenaule

A Killenaule driver who nearly crashed into other cars after a “sulky race” meeting was banned from driving for two years at Thurles District Court.

Garda Ben Jenkins told Judge Elizabeth MacGrath that gardaí were on patrol on November 8, 2020, when they came across a “sulky race” in the townland of Longfordpass, Tipperary.

There were about 20 vehicles in attendance. The vehicles followed the sulky race, except for one vehicle, driven by Keith O’Connor, of 15 Highfield, Cashel Road, Killenaule. This vehicle went along the right-hand side of the road, and came against oncoming traffic, at least two or three other cars.

Mr O’Connor’s vehicle was observed on the “wrong side of the road” and caused other vehicles to take action to avoid a collision.

“It was veering from side to side,” said Garda Jenkins. At one stage, mobile phones were observed filming the incident. Mr O’Connor’s vehicle turned in the direction of Lisheen Mine.

He came to a stop and produced his driving documents to gardaí, which were in order. Mr O’Connor was charged with three counts of dangerous driving, at Longfordpass North, Co Tipperary, at Leigh, Thurles, and Longfordpass East, but this was later reduced to two counts of dangerous driving in court. Mr O’Connor has no previous convictions.

Solicitor JJ Fitzgerald said Mr O’Connor, 31, is working on a CE scheme in Littleton “earning a modest amount of money. I have explained the consequences to him regarding his driving”.

Judge MacGrath noted the guilty plea and no previous convictions, and that Mr O’Connor “showed some level of remorse. It was a foolish thing to do. He has put his hands up”. Mr O’Connor was fined €250, and disqualified from driving for two years.

Thurles district court

16/05/2026

"Just sharing this as it resulted in a court case"

Man in Offaly 'sulky race' facing prosecution

A MAN accused of dangerous driving following a garda observation of a sulky will be pleading not guilty, Tullamore District Court heard.

Daniel Greene (29), Dernacart, Geashill, has been summonsed for dangerous driving at Clashagad, Dunkerrin on December 20, 2020.

When he appeared before the District Court, Judge Andrew Cody was told by Sergeant James O'Sullivan that a plea to the lesser charge of careless driving would be acceptable to the prosecution.

Sergeant O'Sullivan said the alleged evidence would be that a garda had seen Mr Greene leading a sulky with a horse and it appeared there were three sulkies having a race at 2.30pm.

The evidence would be that the accused's sulky was on the wrong side of the road when he was attempting to overtake. The gardai had received a call about the activity.

Judge Cody indicated that he would not be accepting a plea to careless driving and also pointed out that two bench warrants had been issued in relation to the matter previously.

Suzanne Dooner, BL, for the accused, said Mr Greene had turned up in court on this occasion and she also requested a hearing date.

Judge Cody remanded the accused on continuing bail to the court sitting on January 13 next when a date will be fixed for a hearing.

Man in Offaly 'sulky race' facing prosecution

16/05/2026

"Just sharing this as it resulted in a court case"

Tipperary sulky racers are fined for careless driving on main road outside Roscrea

Two men who were involved in a sulky race outside Roscrea were convicted of careless driving at Nenagh District Court.

Anthony O'Donnell of 35 Richmond Park, Corbally, Limerick, and Kevin Carey of Templequain, Errill, Rathdowney, had faced charges of dangerous driving but the charges were reduced to driving without due care and attention at Ballinakill, Roscrea, on February 5, 2022.

Accepting the plea, Judge Elizabeth MacGrath said that what the defendants had been doing on a main road could lead to dangerous driving.

The court heard that the gardaí had received a call and went to the location at 1.35pm where they found a sulky race in progress.

There were cars following the sulkies and it was raining heavily, the court heard.

The court hard that Mr O'Donnell had 20 previous convictions and Mr Carey had 22, but in both cases they were all for minor traffic offences

Mr Carey's lawyer, John Hannafin, BL, told the court that his client would not appear in court again.

“He loves horses,” said Mr Hanafin, who pointed out that Mr O'Carey uses horses as a form of therapy for himself and his children.

Mr O'Donnell's solicitor, Johnny Spencer, said that his client was no longer involved in sulky racing on the public road, but at a licensed track.

Judge MacGrath said the problem arose on the public road and she was glad to see that there was now a facility for them to enjoy the activity.

She fined both men €300 each and fixed recognizance in their own bond of €250 each.

Tipperary sulky racers are fined for careless driving on main road outside Roscrea