Bord na gCon was established under the Greyhound Industry Act of 1958 with a number of aims. The body was formed to regulate the industry, operate a tote betting system, licence and authorise each stadium, its officials, and its on-course bookmakers, and promote the sport through advertising and prize grants. It became responsible for all tracks in Ireland, with the exception of the Ulster tracks that would remain under the jurisdiction of the Irish Coursing Club. In 1960 the Bord na gCon installed a new totalisator system at four tracks Harolds Cross, Shelbourne Park, Cork and Limerick, in addition to obtaining Clonmel from the Morris family headed by T.A.Morris the former secretary of the Irish Coursing Club. Des Hanrahan became chairman of the Bord na gCon in 1965 and actively sought to buy any Irish tracks in danger of being sold to developers. They bought Shelbourne Park in 1968. Bord na gCon received €14.5 million in state funding during 2007, but has been criticised for lacking government oversight. Bord na gCon has been active in improving Ireland's greyhound stadia in recent years, and in 2007 announced a €28 million investment in its facilities in Limerick and Kilkenny. The board also reports on the results of Northern Irish tracks, of which two remain todayDerry and Drumbo Park. The reason for the involvement is because Northern Irish tracks do not come under the jurisdiction of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain. However the tracks do not receive funding or licensing from the Bord na gCon. The board has long had a comprehensive policy on doping in the sport, even including viagra on its list ofbanned substances. However, in 2006 Bord na gCon was imbued with controversy. A report illustrating that two dogs had tested positive for the banned substanceEPO was not made public by the board, contrary to standard practice. Aidan Tynan, the board's CEO at the time, sent a letter to the Minister for Sport, John O'Donoghue, outlining his concern with the situation. He was then removed from his position by the board. A government report subsequently criticised the board for its actions, and a 2008 report by the Comptroller and Auditor General found some irregularities in the board's accounts.
Stadia
Bord na gCon regulates all of Ireland's greyhound stadia. There are stadia in the following locations: Connacht
