OUR PEOPLE, THE GENERATIONS - MEET THE WALLS

GRI

Meet the Walls, County Kildare

The story of the Walls of Co. Kildare and their involvement in greyhound racing, starts with Tom Wall Senior who purchased his first greyhound at the age of 16.  Tom, (who played club football with Athy and Senior Football for Kildare) purchased the family farm and pub in 1959 in Kilgowan, Co. Kildare and it was here that he raised his family, which included sons Michael, Thomas & Lawrence.

Kilgowan remains the family racing prefix.  As Thomas & Michael look back over their childhood, they recall walking the greyhounds before and after school each day and being involved in all aspects of care and training before heading off to race each week at either Newbridge, Harolds Cross or Shelbourne Park.

Michael remembers fondly when 15 years of age, in school in Newbridge, his Friday routine was to wait outside Coxs Pub at 1pm to get the first copy of the race card for Newbridge Greyhound Stadium, Michael would head off for lunch to study the form, and “forget” about returning for afternoon school!

Michael’s wife, Teresa’s (who more recently served as a Board Member with Greyhound Racing Ireland from 2006 – 2014) maternal relatives, the Kellys, were also well-known greyhound folk.  Michael was her brother’s best friend, and as both of them say, “if she didn’t come along for racing they would have never had made it to marriage!”  During this time, the courting routine was Saturday night at Shelbourne Park (when they still raced on grass) and then the last film at Newbridge Cinema!

When asked about their favourite memories Michael & Teresa both agree that the best Irish Greyhound Derby Final they witnessed was the year Laughil Blake won.

Their list also includes Hanover Laddie winning the Comerford Cakes Juvenile (who they had bred), watching Atinato race (trained by Michael), Brodys Magic (Bar One Racing Sprint Cup Finalist & Irish Greyhound Laurels Finalist) and Two Slip Jigs (Kasko Unraced winner in Thurles in 2023), both bred by the family.  They also affectionately talk about Kilgowan Lotus and Kilgowan Iris – 2 litter sisters who once their racing career was over lived their retirement in the family home until they were both 15 years old.  Their current focus is their racer Milky Bar Kid (named after his sloppy drinking habits as a pup!).

After being involved in the background in rehoming their ex-racers for several years, Thomas has now branched into a more official role with The Irish Retired Greyhound Trust.  His kennels are now the home of the recently opened Leinster Care Centre.  It is here that potential adopters can come to meet their potential new family pet. 

Niece Laurie McMahon has been on hand all through her childhood in helping at the kennels and going racing and pictures of her at different finals and events are dotted around the home, showing that this is very much a family affair!

Their story is just one chapter in the story of greyhound racing across Ireland, where generations of families are united by their love of greyhounds and greyhound racing.