Tyrella Racecourse (Co.Down)

Situated at the foot of the picturesque Mourne Mountains, the three-mile point-to-point racecourse at Tyrella “is inextricably linked with the East Down Foxhounds who have organised racing at the picturesque seaside venue for a number of decades.” Six decades to be precise. Point-to-points are sold as racing meets, but are really fundraisers for hunts – organised by hunts, ridden by members of hunts, and used by hunts to promote hunting. The companies that host and/or sponsor point-to-points will know this. Hunting is (shamefully) still legal in Ireland and Northern Ireland, and sponsorship is a (shameful) tacit nod of support to the abuse of wildlife on a huge scale by the likes of the East Down Foxhounds…