The Gards did their best…however, the race went on to the bitter end!
A dangerous horse race took place on Mallow Road in the southern Irish county of Cork. Two horse and carriages were caught on camera racing each other seemingly oblivious to all automobile traffic.
Irish police tried their best to stop the race, but without being able to knock the racers off the road for fear of a lawsuit, they could only try to warn oncoming traffic.
The race was organised and run by some in the Irish travelling community. You a massive crowd gathered at the end of the race, waiting to see who won.
Watch the unbelievable footage below:
News since this video went viral
Since this video went viral, there have been calls for more legislation to stop such activities taking place on Irish roads.
Earlier this year, Legislation proposing a ban on “sulky” racing on Irish public roads was due to be introduced in the Dáil by Independent TD Mattie McGrath.
This legislative move follows a call earlier in the year by a jury at an inquest into the death of a 12-year-old boy in a sulky accident in Dublin for the introduction of laws to regulate sulky use, specifically on public roads.
A sulky is an unprotected and lightweight cart, which is usually drawn by an animal, usually a horse. Unofficial sulky harness races on public roads have been popular the Travelling community in Ireland.
TD McGrath announced that he was making the proposal in response to evidence of an increasing number of collisions on Irish roads involving sulkies and associated injuries to members of the public; the number of horses being killed or having to be destroyed as a consequence, and related animal welfare issues.
The Bill would strengthen existing Garda and local authority powers, while those found in breach of the law could face a €5,000 fine or imprisonment.
“My main concern is public safety,” Mr McGrath said. “I’m inundated by calls from constituents who are concerned after meeting sulkies on the roads every day.”
The activity was particularly prevalent on the main Cork-Limerick road and on the “old N8” in Co Tipperary, he said, adding that he was aware of regular racing every fortnight with betting in his constituency.
Mr McGrath has written to the Turf Club calling on it to establish proper tracks for regulated racing.
He said he was mindful of the circumstances leading to the death in February 2016 in Clondalkin of Seán Doyle (12), who was thrown under a truck in a sulky accident. After the inquest, his family said they hoped new regulations could prevent further loss of life.
PSV inspector Garda David O’Brien described the sulky as a man-made cart on a tubular steel axle with no seatbelts or side-guards. “It’s not a vehicle that should be used on a public highway,” he said.
Mr McGrath recognised some people will claim he is being anti-Traveller in seeking a ban, but his motivation was from “a public safety and animal welfare point of view”.
Racing horses on hard surfaces was a form of cruelty, he said.
While his Prohibition of Sulky Racing Bill 2017 was due before the Dáil, there was little indication of the extent of cross-party support for it.
