The scandal that threatened the future of greyhound racing in Ireland and in Britain in 1949

In 1948  trainer Jim O'Meara introduced a very fast greyhound called Waggles to the Dublin racegoers.
On a visit back home I heard about him and called at the kennels to see him.   He looked and behaved like a good one and he was sound.   Jim also showed me his sister Miss Chancer and I was equally impressed with her.  When retired she produced an outstanding tracker called Silent Worship.  He recovered from a serious injury and was trained by Johnny Basset to win the Midland Flat.
 After two more good runs Waggles was purchased and taken across to  Essex.   When he did not appear on a British racecard after a month some greyhound followers were curious to know what had become of him.  Some assumed that he was running in an assumed name on some independent track.   Every new fawn dog appearing at some tracks was closely inspected.  After a few months a small fawn dog called Red Wind won two races in fast times.  A few Irish people living in Britain thought he looked  like Waggles. They spoke of their suspicions and a number of people went to see Red Wind wherever they saw his name among a list of runners.   Red Wind's fame grew as he continued to win races confined to puppies and more people began to suspect that he was Waggles.  Eventually the police were asked to investigate and it was proved in court that the suspicions were correct.

The greyhound fraternity in Ireland were embarrassed by the adverse publicity about one of our exports.  Questions were asked in the Irish Parliament and some members suggested that a statutory control board was needed.  Members of the Irish Coursing club proposed that tattoo marks should be inserted in the ears.  Some members of the public considered that this would cause some pain.  Others suggested that it would be cruel.  Lawyers proposed that some method of identification must be introduced to prevent any repeat of the scandal that followed this sale.  The export of greyhounds is important to the Irish economy and correspondence in the press gradually indicated more demand for a statutory body to control the industry.  I wrote a letter to James Dillon an influential Minister and another to Deputy Neil Blaney who had been a school mate and friend of mine.  I also wrote to Deputy Sean Flanagan whom I knew from Gaelic football.  His brother Seamus was the civil servant mainly responsible for the wording of the Bill.   Changes of government delayed the legislation but eventually in 1958  Bord Na gCon was established.

The Irish greyhound industry has  remained in a vibrant state and enjoys the confidence of the racegoers.  Self regulation has allowed British racing to continue contracting since 1940 and  it  now owes its existence to the bookmakers.