The County Kerry Coursing Club is looking for an explanation as to why it has been locked out of Ballybeggan Park where it hosts its annual coursing meeting.
he coursing club has links with the former racetrack stretching back to 1897. However, when Chairperson Thomas Ward tried to access the site at the weekend, he discovered the locks had been changed.
Rumours have been circulating in recent weeks that the site has been sold, or is currently in the process of being sold. But very little information is, as yet, in the public domain regarding any sale.
“I went up on Saturday to check on our paddock and materials and the gates of Ballybeggan were locked. Basically, we were locked out. It looks as if someone changed the locks without telling us,” Mr Ward told The Kerryman.
Mr Ward said County Kerry Coursing Club has an 8.24 percent share in Ballybeggan Park, which, he says, makes it the largest shareholder.
“We are the biggest shareholders in Ballybeggan. We’re here since 1897, and to be locked out of our own home is not good enough. We have a lot of work to do before our next meeting. We have property in Ballybeggan that we must check to see that it is okay, and now we’ve been locked out,” he said.
There are over 50 existing shareholders associated with Ballybeggan Park. Mr Ward believes very little is known about the sale of the site, and that there has been no consultation regarding any potential sale.
Two years ago, Martin Enright was appointed to the Board of Directors of Ballybeggan on behalf of County Kerry Coursing Club. Mr Enright took over from the long-time director, Liam Brassil. However, the club insists that it has not been contacted to date about future plans for the site.
“There hasn’t been an AGM [Ballybeggan directors] since 2008. It’s not right that we haven’t been consulted. We have seen no for sale signs; it hasn’t even been put up for public auction,” he said.
“It was recently stated that the site was for sale for €1.5 million. 110 acres of prime land in the heart of Tralee? Surely, it’s worth way more than that,” he added.
Mr Ward reiterated the frustration of club personnel about being ‘left in the dark’ and not being consulted.
He said the current situation is at odds with the club’s proud tradition and place in the history of Ballybeggan Park.
“We are proud of our tradition in Ballybeggan. Our meeting last St Stephen’s Day was one of the largest we had in recent years,” he said.
“I think it’s only common courtesy that we be consulted about what is happening. The current situation isn’t good enough. To find ourselves suddenly locked out of Ballybeggan after all these years is not on.”
The Kerryman made several attempts to contact the legal team understood to be handling the sale of Ballybeggan Park. However, the firm did not offer a comment.