Greyhound deaths and injuries continue in Irish greyhound racing.
55 greyhounds were killed at Irish greyhound racing tracks in the first five months of 2026.
Official Irish greyhound industry figures show that 93 greyhounds suffered injuries at races between January and the end of May and more than half of them (50) were “euthanised” by track vets.
The deaths of 5 other injured greyhounds are listed as racing fatalities – they “died on the track or shortly after a race”.
The greyhound injury and death information was released in response to a recent Dáil question by Paul Murphy TD.
He had asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, the number of greyhounds injured in racing, trials and sales events to-date in 2026, by type of injury; the date and location where they occurred; the number killed outright or euthanised by track vets; the number and causes of additional racing fatalities; and the results of any related post-mortems.
Minister Heydon referred the question to Rásaíocht Con Éireann (RCÉ) the commercial state body established under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958 chiefly to control greyhound racing and to improve and develop the greyhound industry.
Greyhound Deaths in Ireland
Their figures reveal that the 50 greyhounds who were killed by vets had suffered injuries including: broken hock/hock fracture, severely dislocated hock, dislocated shoulder joint, spinal injury spasm, broken right femur/stifle, suspected fractured pelvis, fractured leg/elbow/radius and ulna/metacarpal/humerus/metatarsal, torn blood vessels.
38 injured greyhounds who were treated had suffered injuries including: broken hock, damaged right wrist, dislocated toe, injured shoulder, flesh wound on leg, dislocated right hock/metatarsal joint, fractured hock/toe/scapula/wrist/metatarsals/tibia and fibula, small cut inside stifle, suspected soft tissue injury/tendon injury, swollen wrist, torn ligaments, torn dew claw.
The 5 racing fatalities involved greyhounds dying of acute cardiac failure, broken neck, haemorrhage and suspected cardiac arrest.
Greyhound Tracks
An analysis of the released information showed two greyhounds killed by a vet at a race meeting at Thurles, Co. Tipperary track on 28 March 2026, two killed at Youghal, Co. Cork track on 2 April 2026, two killed at Youghal, Co. Cork, track on 9 May 2026 and 2 killed at Youghal, Co. Cork track two days later on 11 May (1 killed by a track vet and a racing fatality).
At Galway track-15th May-two greyhounds were killed (1 killed by a track vet, and a racing fatality)
The 16th of January was the worst day for greyhounds deaths so far in 2026 with three deaths recorded.
16 January – 2 greyhounds killed by vets at Kilkenny and Tralee, Co. Kerry, tracks, plus one racing fatality at Clonmel, Co. Tipperary track.
21 March – 3 greyhounds killed at Youghal, Co. Cork, Thurles, Co. Tipperary and Kilcohan Park, Co. Waterford, tracks.
28 March – 3 greyhounds killed at Thurles and Youghal tracks.
Greyhound Racing
The greyhound track with the highest number of deaths (euthanised plus racing fatalities) was Youghal, Co. Cork (11), followed by Tralee, Co. Kerry (7), Shelbourne Park, Co. Dublin (5), Kilkenny (5), Clonmel, Co. Tipperary (5), Thurles, Co. Tipperary (4), Limerick (3), Waterford – Kilcohan Park (3), Curraheen Park, Co. Cork (2), Dundalk, Co. Louth (2), Galway (2), Lifford, Co. Donegal (2), Newbridge, Co. Kildare (2), Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford (1) and Mullingar, Co. Westmeath (1).
The tracks where the most injuries occurred (resulting in death or treatment) were Youghal (13) and Shelbourne Park (13), followed by Curraheen Park ( 8 ), Tralee ( 8 ), Kilkenny ( 8 ), Thurles (7), Newbridge (7), Clonmel (7), Mullingar (5), Limerick (5), Lifford (3), Waterford – Kilcohan Park (3), Dundalk (2), Enniscorthy (2) and Galway (2).
In relation to the percentage of injured greyhounds who were euthanised at tracks, Waterford track was the worst with 100% of injured dogs killed (3 injured, 3 killed). All injured dogs were also killed at Dundalk track (2 injured, 2 killed) and Galway track (1 injured, 1 killed).
These were followed by Tralee 88% (8 injured, 7 killed), Youghal 83% (12 injured,10 killed), Clonmel 66% (6 injured, 4 killed), Lifford 66% (3 injured, 2 killed), Limerick 60% (5 injured, 3 killed), Kilkenny 57% (7 injured, 4 killed), Thurles 57% (7 injured, 4 killed), Enniscorthy 50% (2 injured, 1 killed), Shelbourne Park 38% (13 injured, 5 killed), Newbridge 29% (7 injured, 2 killed), Curraheen Park 25% (8 injured, 2 killed) and Mullingar 0% (4 injured, 0 killed).
It is unknown how many of the injured greyhounds who were treated and taken away were subsequently killed.
The latest 2026 figures bring to 4,133 the number of greyhounds injured and 1,648 the number killed in racing at Irish tracks since 2014.
ICABS
Animal welfare organisations have expressed outrage at the continuing abuse of greyhound for gambling purposes.
An Irish Council Against Blood Sports/ICABS spokesperson said, “How many more dogs have to suffer and die before the Irish Government stops the funding that is propping up greyhound racing? Since 2001, Greyhound Racing Ireland has received €386,806,146 in grants, including €19 million for 2024, €19.82 million for 2025 and €19.82 million for 2026. This is unacceptable and must be stopped.
A RED C opinion poll commissioned by the ICABS confirmed that a two-thirds majority of people want the government to stop this funding (with just 16% in favour of it continuing).
The latest survey – carried out by Norstat on behalf of GREY2K USA Worldwide found that 70% oppose greyhound racing subsidies, while only 11% support them.
Greyhound Racing in Ireland
Greyhound Racing Ireland (formerly known as Irish Greyhound Board) has licensed a total of 15 tracks in the Republic, of which nine are owned and controlled by the organisation. The remainder are owned and operated by private enterprise.
There are also a further two privately owned stadia in Northern Ireland.
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