Horse Racing On Rossbeigh Beach, Co. Kerry, Ireland 1973

Описание: Rossbeigh Beach in Kerry is the location for the annual Glenbeigh Flapper Races.

Frank Hall meets Ernie Evans, manager of the Tower’s Hotel in Glenbeigh to find out more about the horse and pony races that take place on the strand.

The last, kind of, Playboy of the Western World races that are left in Ireland.

The races take place on the beach in August every year and go back to the early twentieth century. In 1924, a famous fracas occurred and the race committee was fined eighty pounds for unlawful or riotous assembly. Flapper racing operates outside the regulations of a legal race meeting and anyone can ride. One of the races is worth £75 to the winner.

There’s always been a tradition for keeping ponies and horses down in south Kerry.

The tradition of the flapper race is close to the hearts of many Kerry people and it is something that they do not want to lose. The race is known by locals as ‘The Pipe Opener’, nestled between the Killarney Races and Puck Fair. Taking place during the last week in July or the first week in August each year, the racing is dependent on the tides.

You have to kind of catch it halfway tide going out and halfway tide coming in. Otherwise, the lads are left riding in the water.

Ernie Evans explains that Rossbeigh Beach was chosen as the location for the races, due to the length and flatness of the beach and the bank which operates as a natural viewing platform for spectators.

The report includes footage from the 1972 Glenbeigh Races. The reporter is Frank Hall and the narration is by Frank Kelly.

This episode of ‘Hall’s Pictorial Weekly’ was broadcast on 28 April 1973.