Country singer is top dog on the track

HAVING a swimming pool and a treadmill for his dogs as well as singing for them is all part of life away from the spotlight for Athenry-based singer Jimmy Buckley. Because Jimmy, in his spare time, is following a family tradition as a breeder and trainer of top class greyhounds.
“We breed, rear, train and race all our own greyhounds and it all starts here near Monivea where I have 30 to 40 dogs most times. They love having their own swimming pool and treadmill during training sessions,” says Jimmy.
His brother Pat Buckley is one of the top breeders in Ireland, having bred the current Irish Oaks Winner, Velvet All Jam, who took the top accolade at Shelbourne Park earlier this year.
On Saturday week Jimmy’s greyhound Jumeirah Hope, bred, born, reared and trained in his Monivea track, came within a whisker of winning the €10,000 first prize in The Night of the Stars at Shelbourne Park.
But on the following Saturday night, December 6, another dog, Jumeirah Charl, won her race at Shelbourne Park, netting a nice return for punters at 8 to 1.