In 1995 the race course was upgraded on a voluntary basis by the Cournane and Quirke families, in co-operation with the landowner Michael O'Neill. Great credit is due to the numerous volunteers, such as Willie Murphy, John Joe Griffin, Din Joe Griffin, Paddy Maguire and Liam Musgrave - but to name a few, who have kept the event alive without a break since 1852. The Cahirciveen Course has always be
en a great venue for up and coming jockeys. Well known riders such as Norman Williamson, Brian Crowley, Tom Queally, Paul Townsend, the Mullins family form Goresbridge, Co. Kilkenny, Martin Cournane, Brian O'Connor, Christopher Hayes, Emmet McNamara, Kerry Cournane, the Griffin brothers Denis, George and Johnny, and Karen Kenny. All served their apprenticeship at the Cahirciveen Races. A Day At The Races - by Sigerson Clifford
'Twas a day in September I'll always remember I went with my father to Carhan's old school And there on the racecourse were gathered in great force Rich man and poor man, wild boy and tame fool. There were tinkers from Galway as brown as a ha'penny, A beggar with whiskers the longest I've seen, Oh the three-card-trick Johnny and the four-shots a-penny On the day of the races in Cahersiveen.
'Twas a rich Tower of Babel beside the school gable Where the bookies were shouting and laying on the odds 'Twould take Atlas so hairy or our own Crusher Casey To push through the crowds packed like peas in their pods. There were tents like umbrellas where all kinds of fellows Sold dilisc and shellfish and the juicy crubeen And penny Peg's legs oh the size of a peeler On the day of the races in Cahersiveen. Oh the jockeys they sat on their horses like statues Their fame shall remain while the Fertha shall flow And 'tis my hero Padgen that I'd pin a bright badge on With the two gallant Griffins, Jimmie and John Joe,
Denis Donovan too from high Barr na Sráide And Courtney Saint Brendan's were sporting and keen While Jack Rock's spurs-a-jingle would make your blood tingle On the day of the races in Cahersiveen. Now the horses God bless them in my dreams I caress them The wild things of beauty stole the heart from my side As I watched them fly over the grass and red clover And sweep like the wind east by Reenrusheen tide. They skimmed the hawbushes and dashed through the rushes Their jockeys arrayed in blue, scarlet and green: 'Twas the world's eighth wonder to hear the hooves thunder On the day of the races in Cahersiveen. And that night men did gather hearts light like a feather Round a medium in Bawner's or a pint at the Plow They toasted the horses that won out their courses And shouted their praises while time did allow. "Here's a health to you, Terry, and O'Neill's Pride of Kerry, Likewise, Lass from Sussa, the westland's swift queen: May ye graze in high heaven and have comfort forever Ye're the pride of the races in Cahersiveen." But my father he's gone now God's peace to his ashes The boys are young men and the old men are dead There's many a mile between me and the racecourse But the hooves of the horses beat loud in my head. Oh I give you my oath and I'd swap the wide world To call back the bright days when proud I had been A lad with his dad on the white road to Carhan And the splendid horse races in Cahersiveen.
