Irish Greyhound Derby: Dates, format, history & more

The €125,000 Irish Greyhound Derby is one of the biggest prizes in the sport, where six of the best dogs battle it out in the final.

First held at Harolds Cross in 1928, the competition was originally known as the National Derby before becoming official in 1932.

Both Limerick (1939) and Cork (1942) held the Irish Derby once, but generally the event alternated between Harolds Cross and Shelbourne Park until 1970 - when it was decided that Shelbourne would remain the host venue.

When is the Irish Greyhound Derby?

The Irish Greyhound Derby began on FFriday 18th October 2024 and will conclude with the final race on Saturday 23rd November.

Where is the Greyhound Derby?

The Irish Greyhound Derby is staged at the popular and busy Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium, in the south Dublin inner city suburb of Ringsend. 

The stadium opened in 1927 and hosts an array of prestigious and lucrative competitions such as the Easter Cup and Champion Stakes.

The Irish Derby is staged over 550yds, but races take place over a variety of distances:

350yds

525yds

550yds

575yds

600yds

750yds

850yds

How the competition works

The competing greyhounds are drawn into first-round heats, with three dogs qualifying from each race throughout the event. The top-three dogs from each heat then progress to Round Two, with the rest of the field eliminated from the competition.

It's a random draw, apart from the fact that the greyhounds are seeded to their running style. The dogs are graded as railers, middles or wides and that plays a part in their trap draws.

The competition runs over a six-week period, until it reaches its crescendo, when there are just six greyhounds left to compete in the final.

Not only is it a test of a dogs speed and skill, but also of their endurance and consistency, as they need to maintain a high-level of performance throughout the competition.

The Irish Derby is comfortably among the most lucrative and prestigious events of the year, success also opens the door for the champion (if a dog) to the world of breeding and the opportunity to become a stud dog.