OUR PEOPLE THE GENERATIONS - MEET THE O'REGANS

GRI

Meet the O'Regans, Waterford

The O’Regans of Waterford can trace the start of their love of greyhound racing back to Michael O’Regan, a butcher in Waterford who has a dog listed in the Stud Book of 1923.  Once his grand-nephews Pa & Donal came along in the 1940’s & 1950’s they became part of the support team spending every weekend racing at Kilcohan Park Greyhound Stadium.

As Donal puts it “when one member of the family had greyhounds, it meant all the family were involved”.  They were (and still are) based in the city centre with a house that had a large back garden.  While these gardens were mainly used for growing vegetables and keeping pigs during that time, it also gave the family the space to erect kennels and keep greyhounds.  

Pa & Donal talk about their favourite memories during that time including Jos McDoaks (28 years ago), Highpath Rainbow (1993), Highpath Robbie (2007) and Brykar Fangio (named for his speed after Brazilian F1 Driver).

100 years on from their Grand-uncle, Pa & Donal now have their own support team with Pa’s grandchildren Cian & Brianna and Donals daughter Katy all involved.  Still located in that original house where it all began, they now have 5 racing greyhounds and 1 retired greyhound in the kennels.  It really has continued to be a family affair!

The hundreds of years of tradition that forms our sport.

The generations of families brought together

by their love of the dogs.

We stand for all that is good about our sport

and we are its future.

Because

THIS RUNS DEEP

The O'Regans are featured as part of the Our People, The Generations series. You can learn more about all the families involved and their history in our great sport on grireland.ie/OurPeopleTheGenerations

If you are on social media, check out the posts using #OurPeopleTheGenerations and please like, comment and share to help spread the word about the wonderful people that make up our sport and the genuine love of greyhounds that we all share.