# Celtic Park (Belfast)

Celtic Park was a multi-use stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was used for football matches and was the home of Belfast Celtic F.C. Throughout the majority of its existence it was a greyhound racing track. The stadium was able to hold 50,000 spectators at its height, with 5,000 of those spectators seated.

## Football

The stadium ceased to host Belfast Celtic matches when the team stopped playing competitive matches in 1949. Like Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland, it was known as "Paradise" by its fans. The football team ran into financial issues and finally dissolved in 1960 but the stadium was then firmly established as a greyhound stadium.

## Greyhound Racing
### Origins

Two Belfast bookmakers called Joe Shaw and Hugh McAlinden visited to Belle Vue Stadium in 1926 to view the new form of greyhound racing around an oval. They duly formed the National Racing Greyhound Company with the assistance of Paddy O’Donoghue and James Clarke. It was the first greyhound track to open in Ireland on Easter Monday 18 April 1927, and one of the first in the United Kingdom. The company would take control of Ireland's second track Shelbourne Park in 1927.
McAlinden was the chairman of Belfast Celtic and he instigated the lease of the stadium for the racing which would be governed by the Irish Coursing Club, the official regulatory body of greyhound racing in Ireland. On opening night racing consisted of two hurdles races in the six race card and one race ended with a dead heat between Keep Whistling and Imperial Jimmy.

### Early history

The first ever winner (not only at Celtic Park but in Ireland) was a greyhound called Mutual Friend (Three Speed x Lazy Peggy) on the Easter Monday; the April 1923 whelp was owned by Jim Tuite of Railway House, Oldcastle, County Meath. The 55th Old Boys Silver Band provided entertainment on the opening night.
Duneynie Castle claimed the Belfast Telegraph Cup competition in the summer of 1927 and re-opening for a second season in March 1928 patrons were able to purchase a complete form guide of the previous season from all Irish Coursing Club tracks for one shilling. Two months later on 11 May Mick the Miller finished third in the Abercorn Cup final at the track over 526 yards.
A major event introduced in 1926 was the Trigo Cup; William Barnett presented a cup to Celtic Park after his horse Trigo won The Derby and St Leger Stakes. The Trigo Cup would gain classic status some years later in 1944 and second major competition called the McAlevey Gold Cup was inaugurated in 1938. In 1932 and 1943 the track hosted the Irish St Leger one of Ireland's premier races and in July 1946, the first case of a greyhound traveling by air took place. Warrington greyhound Clady Border trained by Ken Newham went from Manchester airport to Belfast to take part in an event at Celtic Park in which he won.
The first Racing Manager at the Track was Jim Rice and after his passing he was honoured by the track hosting the Jim Rice Memorial Trophy. Another competition called the Ulster Sprint Cup was a regular event from 1930 and the Trigo Cup was also known as the Ulster Derby for many years.

### Later history

In 1955, Spanish Battleship appeared at the track for his final race in Ireland. The track suffering from a lack of investment and hampered by the troubles in Northern Ireland began to go downhill. However, in 1978 a new board of directors took over, Sean and Brian Graham and Jim Delargy closed the track to allow for refurbishment and Eddie O'Hagan the Racing Manager retired. The changes included an all-sand track from grass. The track finally opened two years later during April 1980.

## Closure

Brookmount Properties bought the site for redevelopment and the last meeting was held on 31 October 1983. The site of Celtic Park is now occupied by a shopping centre.

## Competitions

* Trigo Cup/Ulster Derby
* McAlevey Gold Cup
* Irish St Leger

## Notable track records

| Yards | Greyhound | Time (sec) | Date | Notes/ref |
| 375 | Caim Star | 21.4-5 | 17 May 1929 | |
| 375 | Solitude Star | 21.2-5 | 28 April 1930 | |
| 375 | Confusion | 21.40 | 1 August 1930 | |
| 375 | Divorced Princess | 20.92 | 8 May 1931 | |
| 375 | You Have Me | =20.92 | 24 August 1934 | |
| 375 | You Have Me | 20.89 | 31 August 1934 | |
| 375 | Dark December | 20.87 | 23 September 1935 | |
| 375 | Lone Keel | 20.83 | 18 September 1936 | |
| 375 | Derryten | 20.64 | 24 October 1941 | |
| 375 | Fair Mistress | 20.52 | 22 April 1942 | |
| 375 | Hilarious Champion | 20.16 | 9 July 1956 | |
| 375 | Rito | 20.13 | 26 October 1962 | |
| 375 | Tanyard Chief | 20.08 | 1962 | |
| 375 | Fiery Effort | 20.07 | 25 October 1965 | |
| 375 | Kirkland Darkie | 19.94 | 10 September 1971 | |
| 525 | Guiding Pal | =30.60 | 18 July 1930 | |
| 525 | Mike's Fancy | =30.60 | 21 July 1930 | |
| 525 | Sister Olive | 30.49 | 10 August 1931 | |
| 525 | Queen of the Rock | 30.40 | 6 May 1932 | |
| 525 | Maghereagh Soldier | 30.37 | 17 May 1935 | |
| 525 | Maghereagh Soldier | 30.25 | 29 May 1936 | |
| 525 | Morning Signal | 30.16 | 7 October 1936 | |
| 525 | Myroe Roving Boy | =30.12 | June 1939 | |
| 525 | Braemar Monty | 29.95 | 15 September 1939 | |
| 525 | S. M. Oddity | 29.60 | 18 October 1940 | National record |
| 525 | Smartly Fergus | =29.60 | 26 June 1945 | McAlevey Gold Cup heats |
| 525 | Priceless Border | 29.54 | 23 May 1947 | |
| 525 | Ballymore Cottage | 29.38 | 27 June 1947 | Trigo Cup |
| 525 | Coolkill Hero | 29.36 | 4 June 1954 | |
| 525 | Dunmore King | 29.36 | 4 May 1956 | McAlevey Gold Cup semifinal |
| 525 | Cautious Customer | 29.19 | 14 September 1956 | |
| 525 | Nimble Star | 28.98 | 30 May 1958 | |
| 525 | True Picture | 28.97 | 2 June 1958 | National record |
| 525 | Dillies Pigalle | 28.86 | 13 May 1966 | McAlevey Gold Cup final, National record |
| 525 | Kirkland Darkie | 28.79 | 11 May 1970 | National record, McAlevey Cup heats |
| 525 | Jemmy John | 28.61 | 26 June 1970 | National record, Ulster Derby final |
| 550 | Maghereagh Soldier | 31.67 | 24 May 1935 | Trigo Cup heats |
| 550 | Maghereagh Soldier | 31.50 | 31 May 1935 | Trigo Cup semi-final |
| 550 | Maghereagh Soldier | 31.45 | 7 June 1935 | Trigo Cup final |
| 550 | Maghereagh Soldier | 31.35 | 15 June 1936 | Trigo Cup first round |
| 550 | Strong Mutton | 31.28 | 11 June 1936 | Trigo Cup semifinal |
| 550 | Mazurka | 30.98 | 30 April 1948 | |
| 550 | Racing Nig | 30.60 | 31 July 1959 | |
| 550 | Racing Luck | 30.54 | 1 August 1960 | Ulster St Leger 2nd rd |
| 550 | Normac Venture | 30.53 | 22 May 1964 | |
| 550 | There's Hope | 30.51 | 29 July 1964 | Ulster St Leger |
| 550 | Tom's Dog | 30.48 | 13 August 1965 | Ulster St Leger final |
| 550 | Sulky Mac | 30.38 | 7 August 1967 | Ulster St Leger SF |
| 600 | Moorland Rover | 34.3-5 | 22 April 1929 | |
| 600 | Aughamore Lass | 34.54 | 8 April 1938 | |
| 600 | Sullivan's Mild | 34.31 | 30 April 1945 | |
| 600 | Smartly Fergus | 33.99 | 15 June 1945 | National record |
| 600 | Multiforbo | 33.91 | 4 October 1957 | |
| 600 | Ashley Park Boy | 33.60 | 11 July 1958 | |
| 600 | Ashley Park Boy | 33.45 | 18 July 1958 | |
| 600 | Yellow Streak | 33.40 | 28 September 1966 | Ulster Cesarewitch heats |
| 600 | Circular Grand | 33.39 | 30 September 1966 | Ulster Cesarewitch rd2 |
| 600 | Clahane Flash | 33.38 | 9 June 1967 | |
| 600 | Fiery Sahara | 33.36 | 21 August 1967 | |
| 600 | Itsamint | 33.34 | 20 October 1969 | Ulster Cesarewitch final |
| 600 | Blissful Pride | 32.90 | 4 October 1971 | Ulster Cesarewitch 1st Rd |
| 640 | Dragon's Flight | 37.3-5 | 9 September 1928 | Trigo Cup heats |
| 640 | Bright Bundle | 37.12 | 17 May 1931 | |
| 860 | Clovis | 52.20 | 11 October 1929 | |
| 860 | Ilene Darling | 51.95 | 14 October 1931 | |
| 860 | Ilene Darling | 51.55 | 30 October 1931 | |
| 375 H | Soft Slide | 22.28 | 15 March 1935 | |
| 375 H | Neidin's Carnero | 21.46 | 15 June 1936 | |
| 525 H | Flail | 32.00 | 12 September 1930 | |
| 525 H | Macaroni | 31.12 | 28 June 1935 | |
| 525 H | Magheragh Major | 31.07 | 22 May 1936 | |
| 525 H | Nicotina | 31.05 | 24 June 1938 | |
| 550 H | Neiden's Beautiful | 32.70 | 10 September 1937 | |
| 600 H | Drumhaw | 37.1-5 | 17 May 1929 | |
| 600 H | Flail | 36.40 | 1930 | |
| 600 H | Another Circle | 36.28 | 21 August 1936 | |
* H=Hurdles