Earliest meeting: Saturday 9th June 1753
Final meeting: Wednesday 9th June 1869
The Galway village of Turloughmore, its name meaning ‘large lake’ which is a notable feature of the area near the Clare River still to this day, was in the townland of County Clare back in the 18th century. It held annual horse fairs and it is not surprising therefore that it also hosted race meetings in the middle of the 18th century. They took place on ‘Turlogh Moore’ and were initiated as a result of a legacy in the will of Sir Donough O’Brien. The late Sir Donough O’Brien sponsored a £20 Purse which was contested each June and began in 1753 when won by Mr Donough O’Brien’s Rat beating Sterling and Blinder. A century later races continued, although never on the same grand scale as in the mid-18th century. On Saturday 16th June 1860 the opening race went to Mr Dennison’s Glendaloch, and the concluding race to Mr Lally’s Oyster Girl, but the card also included rowing races. The final meeting of note took place on a 4 ½ mile course on the edge of the village when only two horses contested the £10 Purse, and after Mr Alexander’s horse had bolted early in the race, Mr Cullinan claimed a hollow victory.

9th June 1753

Turlogh £20 Purse
1. Rat, black gelding owned by Mr Donough O’Brien
2. Sterling, bay horse owned by Mr Thomas Lambert
3. Unnamed grey mare owned by Mr French
4. Unnamed grey gelding owned by Mr French
5. Blinder, bay horse owned by Mr Walter Taylor

The legacy of Sir Donough O’Brien continued as an Annual prize of 20 Guineas for the winner of the Turlough Moore race run each June. In 1756 the prize was won by Starling, owned appropriately enough by Sir Edward O’Brien.
5th June 1756
Turlough Moore 20 Guineas Sir Donough O’Brien Memorial
1. Starling, grey horse owned by Sir Edward O’Brien
2. Unnamed bay horse owned by Mr French
3. Unnamed bay gelding owned by the Reverend French

Much of the information about this course has been found using internet research and is in the public domain. However, useful research sources have been:-

London Illustrated News

Racing Illustrated 1895-1899

The Sporting & Dramatic Illustrated

Northern Turf History Volumes 1-4 by J.Fairfax-Blakeborough

The Sporting Magazine

A Long Time Gone by Chris Pitt first published in 1996 ISBN 0 900599 89 8

Racing Calendars which were first published in 1727

ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3

652 pages

774 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0

352 pages

400 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7

180 pages

140 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4

264 pages

235 former courses