ON Monday, Roscommon stages its final meeting of the year. As racecourse manager, I’d describe the year overall as being a good one but not great. Like a lot of tracks we’ve had our issues with the weather. The only difference this year is that we have been looking for rain, not praying it stayed away! In terms of crowds, it was slow to start with but really picked up over the summer.

One thing that I was particularly proud of was receiving the Racecourse Award from the Irish Stable Staff Association at the Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards in June. Both personally and, speaking for staff, we were over the moon. It meant an awful lot to get that recognition from those hard working people, who travel such long distances. I can honestly say, that when the time comes, I can retire a happy man.

I am from Athleague; the hurling part of Roscommon. I was born only six miles from the racecourse. Although my family had no background with horses, I’ve always loved racing. I honestly have no idea where that love came from. As a child, I would have always gone racing to Roscommon and, the Galway Festival.

In later years, when I’d left school and started working in a local co-op creamery, I bought a mare. I was in my early 20s at that time and paid €800 for her. She had been in training in another yard but I sent her to a new man starting out, Jim Bolger. Hasty Years won eight races and was placed 12 times from 24 runs. One week alone, she won three times. A winner both on the flat and, over jumps, she really got the bug going. I went on to breed a few after that, including three winners at Roscommon.

Difficult job

By 1998, I had left the office job and was doing a bit of farming. When the position of racecourse manager at Roscommon came up, I decided to go for it. My application was successful and, I have been here ever since. Little did I know what I was letting myself in for. It’s only when you are working at the coal face that you realise how difficult a job can be.

The weather in particular can be soul destroying. No matter how hard you work, essentially it’s out of your control. We are prone to a lot of rain here in Roscommon and, that can get you in trouble. Over the years, we’ve lost meetings due to water logging. However, it’s been a struggle for a different reason this summer. We have been watering all season; I’ve never seen as much water put on the track.

Before Covid, we built a new weigh room and ambulance room. Hopefully they should be fully paid off this year.

Given the rise in the cost of materials in recent years, I dread to think what that would cost now. It was something that had to be done and thankfully we had it completed before prices escalated.

When I arrived here 27 years ago, there were 79 stables at the racecourse. We increased that to 102 a few years after and, now have that number up to 133. We also have three vet’s boxes.

They are there forever now. Roscommon should never have the need for any new stables.

In recent times, we also added new turnstiles, rubber mats around the parade ring and concreted the stable yard. I can remember the dust being so bad that you had to get a tanker of water to spray the yard prior to racing.

Blacktype races

A lot of good horses have run here over the years. many of whom have done well on the bigger stage after. Roscommon is well supported by all the trainers and jockeys.

A couple of years ago, we had Ryan Moore ride here. With the uphill climb seen as a real test, trainers often run some of their better horses here.

At the last meeting here (September 29th), we ran our feature race of the National Hunt season, the Grade 3 Ballymore Group Irish EBF Kilbegnet Novice Chase. Willie Mullins won that with Westport Cove.

While that race was already on the calendar when I started as racecourse manager, in 2006 we added a listed race on the flat, the Lenabane Stakes.

To have a blacktype race under both codes is testament to the hard work done here at Roscommon.

We are the smallest populated county in Ireland with a racecourse. There wouldn’t be an awful lot of employment around the area. We have to be doing something right to get the crowds that we do.

While we depend largely on the locals, people travel from further afield also.

Hopefully Roscommon racecourse can continue to receive the support of the racing fraternity in order to grow in the coming years.

Lorcan Wyer, who retires as clerk of the course here on Monday, has been fundamental to our success.

He is a fantastic ambassador for racing and, an absolute gentleman to deal with. I wish him every success in the future.

I’d also like to welcome the new incoming clerk Shane Ryder, who begins his new role in January. I look forward to working with him going forward.

Michael was in conversation with John O’Riordan.