2010 National Coursing Championships

Thousands of hare coursing fans are due to descend on Ireland for the annual three-day national championships.

The 83rd running of the National Coursing Meeting takes place at Powerstown Park, Clonmel, Co Tipperary from tomorrow.

Organisers hope the festival, which attracts supporters from Britain, continental Europe and the US, will generate up to €16m for the local economy.

Even though the greyhounds are muzzled and hares are released into the wild after the meeting, the coursing championship is not without controversy and animal rights protesters are expected to picket the meeting.

Around 30,000 fans will attend the three-day showpiece which has been staged at Powerstown since 1925.

But weather forecasters have warned the bitterly cold weather of the last few days threatens the start of the meeting.

Jerry Desmond, Irish Coursing Club chief executive, said a heavy frost is forecast for tonight.

“If the frost was hard the ground would get very hard. First of all the hares would not run well as they can’t grip and it would be likewise for the greyhounds,” he said.

“They would also be liable to injury, both the hares and the greyhounds.”

On Wednesday, as the meeting reaches it highpoint with the derby

CheltenhamJ wrote: »

lads would be anxious to hear of any accomodation leads for next week on the tuesday night - tks