SEVERAL places around the world are named Timaru; a port city in New Zealand’s South Island and then its Croom, Co Limerick namesake, where Fionnuala Moloney Carey and her husband James are on a mission to rehome retired greyhounds.

There was a public outcry after RTE Investigates aired its Greyhounds: Running For Their Lives programme about the fate of greyhounds in 2019, and again, this summer, over the Straffan horse slaughter debacle.

From barstools to social media to Oireachtas Committee level, endless debates follow about industry responsibility and post-career duty of care.

Yet picking up the actual pieces is often left to the many kind-hearted, decent people who work at giving animals a second chance, sometimes at overflowing animal shelters around the country or Treo Eile in their work with ex-racehorses and the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust (IRGT), which carries out a similar role for the canine equivalent.

Glancing back, typing ‘kind-hearted’ could be a Freudian slip.

Fionnuala Moloney Carey and Ivy, a greyhound waiting to be rehomed. The canine woodcarving stays / Susan Finnerty

Fionnuala’s story involves several serious cardiac issues and, at one point, being advised to ‘never sit up on a horse or walk a dog again’.

She has very politely ignored this advice, having won at Dublin Horse Show with one of her show cobs and walks greyhounds daily in all weathers.

She has worked with show jumping stars like Ado Annie (Errigal Flight), Flexible (Cruising) and Liscalgot (Touchdown), plus the 2004 Dublin supreme hunter champion Connswater River (Kings Master) too.

Five years ago, Fionnuala penned her humbling story for the ‘Ringside Stories’ series in the Farmers’ Journal. It appeared in print just before the Women In Farming conference, where the late Vicky Phelan was one of the guest speakers.

In the audience that day was Edel Burke Curtin, a Garda sergeant in Kilrush and another keen exhibitor. She clearly remembers Vicky’s words after the speaker had read Fionnuala’s story. “Vicky said Fionnuala and her work to support retired greyhounds was an inspiration.”

“Of all the people to say that but Vicky Phelan,” says a visibly moved Fionnuala, after hearing this anecdote when we meet at the neat-as-a-pin Timaru Kennels near Croom.

Two campaigners cut from the same cloth, defying the odds.

Kiwi connection

Since she and James started work for the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust, their collective campaign revolves around supporting the IRGT in their bid to find homes - 50 at a time - for greyhounds and looking after them in the meantime. Or bringing a couple of greyhounds to local Starbucks branches for ‘pat-and-chat’ coffee mornings.

“We’re so grateful to IRGT to be able to do what we love every day and to our helpers Jim, Gary and part-time staff.”

Long hours, between the kennels and after-hours, updating stories and posting photos on social media. And answering a constantly-ringing phone.

It’s worth it when that phonecall, Facebook chat or Starbucks outing results in another greyhound departing down the Timaru laneway to their screened forever home, complete with a going-away care package.

Fionnuala is clearly following a family tradition set by her parents, Donal and Philomena (Phil).

“Dad was an inspector for the ISPCA, we had the dogs home in Limerick back then. That’s it up there,” she says, pointing to an aerial photo of their former home, outlying kennels and land.

“Timaru was the name of that house too. The area is basically a cul-de-sac now, the Limerick-Dublin motorway runs along the back of there and Southill is very close by.” The Timaru connection, turns out to be a nod to Donal’s aunt, who emigrated to New Zealand.

It was a shorter move for the Moloney family to Croom. “We moved out here when I was four in 1984, but I still remember Limerick so well. And the dogs. Dad had horses and mam was involved with greyhounds all her life, there was always dogs around growing up.”

Heart of a lion

Phil was the main breadwinner, working night shifts as a nurse, while Donal underwent dialysis, kidney transplants and, similar to Vicky Phelan, had his own ongoing battle with cancer. All the time, both parents looked after Fionnuala, her older sister Noreen, their brother Dan and their four-legged charges.

Little stopped Donal though, from going to fairs all over the country, often carrying out his dialysis treatments in the lorry.

Like many pony-mad youngsters, after-school hours spent making and breaking her own ponies were the norm for Fionnuala.

Clonshire Equestrian Centre, Dan and Sue Foley’s base where scores of riders and instructors began careers and lifelong hobbies, is where she gained her British Horse Society qualifications.

James Carey with two of the Timaru greyhounds. “Two 15-minute walks a day is perfect” / Susan Finnerty

Afterwards, she got a job in Tom Wilson’s polo yard in Armagh, then later moving to Paul Larkin, who had just set up his new yard in Trim. “They were just building the barn at the time, I was treated like part of the family and worked there for 10 years.”

Among albums filled with photos of cobs and greyhounds, is a picture of Fionnuala holding the flaxen-maned Ado Annie, togged out in travelling bandages. After the Larkin brothers bought the World Cup finalist back, Paul sent Fionnuala to Los Angeles to travel back with the special four-legged cargo.

“Then, I got a job with Dermott Lennon,” she says about her next move, working for the 2002 individual gold medallist at the world show jumping championships in Jerez de la Frontera. “The family were all nice, I got on so well with his mam and dad.”

Her next happy port of call was Edward Doyle’s yard, where the small-but-mighty Flexible was just at the start of his career. She remembers his early outings at local shows, such as Broadmeadows and the now-defunct Kill EC. “Even then, for a small horse, he had the heart of a lion.”

Travel bug

The travel bug called again, when she went to Italy as Conor Swail’s travelling groom, taking in the World Cup qualifier show at Verona and then Mechelen on the way home.

Next on her To Do list was America. She went to work in upstate New York and Ocala on the Florida circuit for agent Eamonn Hughes - the man who tipped off Kevin Babington about a certain horse back in Ireland: Carling King.

When she returned home to Ireland, her father Donal passed away that December. It was a tough winter, as Fionnuala was badly injured out hunting, but once fully recovered, moved to her final away-from-home job, with the McCusker show team in Lurgan.

As with her time spent in the Wilson and Lennon yards, she has fond memories of Northern Ireland hospitality.

“Again, I couldn’t have been made feel more welcome and loved it there. Hugh had greyhounds, so that was the icing on the cake for me! I’d never worked with show horses before and I couldn’t believe the size of them! I’m not the tallest person in the world, so I was thinking, ’How am I going to plait, even up on steps?’

“I was lucky enough during my first Dublin Horse Show there, as we had Connswater River, the supreme champion hunter.”

Chronic illness

After she made the decision to move home to Limerick to help out her mother, Fionnuala’s mantra of “My parents taught me how to overcome challenges”, was needed after a check-up with her GP.

“I’d put it off for years, only to be told, ‘I’m not happy with your heart’. I said, ‘That’s just a murmur, I’ve had it since I was a baby.’”

Nonetheless, the GP made an appointment with a Limerick cardiologist for the next day, followed by a fast-tracked appointment to Dublin.

The verdict was shared in her Ringside Story in those words that caught Vicky Phelan’s attention: “There I was told I’d never sit on a horse or walk a dog again and to give up work immediately. Well, after several operations, I’m proving them wrong every day!

“Everyone has problems in life, but you just have to try your best to keep going. I gained from dad the ability to live an active, productive life with a chronic illness.

“Only for the cobs and greyhounds, I can honestly say, I’d have given up long ago.”

Real life fairytale

There’s one other key ingredient in the Timaru tale: her husband, James. The couple met when both were working at Islanmore, a stud-farm now owned by the McManus family and previously owned by the Tarry family.

“The Tarrys moved to South Africa, I got a job there when I moved home,” recalls Fionnuala.

Meanwhile, James was helping out his builder father on various projects around the Islanmore yard.

“Fionnuala was there and then one thing led to another. We were friends for six months and together now for 14 years.”

The couple are often spotted at shows, an immaculate cob in tow. And sometimes even accompanied by a well-behaved greyhound on a leash.

Mr Allsorts was their first big winner, finishing second in Dublin on their first attempt.

“Everything was going super the following year in 2017, until the day before the Dublin cob class. Just when I needed it most, my heart let me down.

“Ann O’Grady, as always, stepped in and did her usual super job. It was a bittersweet day when Mr Allsorts won the heavyweight class, but we all take knocks and have to keep going.”

Sold to the UK, Fionnuala went on annual visits to see her RDS star, before buying him back. “He’s now enjoying life in the North with Cherie McHugh.”

Mr Allsorts was followed by Westend Willie, or ‘Bluie’, as he’s known.

He was owned by Keith Martin and Kate Boyce of K&K Cobs, in Aughrim, whose track record in sourcing and producing top show cobs is well-known.

Fairytales rarely happen in real life, but do in this story, as Fionnuala and Bluie won the Dublin heavyweight cob class and reserve cob championship in 2019. Her favourite Dublin photo is of the pair on their lap of honour; a beaming Fionnuala and Bluie ‘floating on air’.

There’s been several other good winners since for the team, such as Mr Milsean, Mr Kinky Boots and Made To Measure, as the couple combine their showring outings with rehoming greyhounds.

Gentle giants

With their kennels full to the proverbial gills, the pre-Christmas wish is that prospective owners would consider adopting a greyhound.

Breed traits? It turns out nothing is further from the stereotype of highly-strung racing machines needing constant exercise.

“Lazy, extremely docile, clean,” she replies, debunking some myths about these gentle, gazelle-like creatures.

“Once there’s a sofa, they’re happy!” - a low-maintenance breed / Susan Finnerty

“They’re used to a routine since they were a puppy and I always say to the adopters: ‘Routine is key’. Build around your routine and within a week, the greyhound will know your routine.

“People think greyhounds need loads of exercise or they need lots of space to run. No, they don’t, two 15-minute walks a day is perfect. We have adopted lots of greyhounds to families living in flats or apartments. Once there’s a sofa, they’re happy!

“Being so gentle, calm and relaxed, means greyhounds make amazing companions for children with special needs. Most greyhounds can live with other pets and we have greyhounds that are suitable to live with cats and even chickens!

“Greyhounds can be quite big, but they’re gentle giants. I’d be more afraid of a small dog than I would ever be of a greyhound. They just want someone to love and love them back.”

She feels that after would-be adopters do some research on the breed, they’re won over. “Once they decide to adopt a greyhound, they fall in love very quickly and often come back for another. And another!”

Timaru Kennels Facebook page is full of heartwarming photos of greyhounds setting off with their new owners. And they don’t leave Croom empty-pawed either, as the couple give each adopted greyhound a going-away present of a colourful collar and lead, coat and bag of feed.

“Each dog is neutered, vaccinated, worked, dental check carried out and has a passport. There is no adoption fee, but adopters are more than welcome to give a donation to the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust (www.irgt.ie).

“Greyhounds fit into family life very easily and love car rides, walks on the beach and in the woods and, of course, a puppucino!”

Good deed

Since 2021, the IRGT has assisted in finding homes for 5,000 greyhounds here and abroad.

As well as Irish owners, where else do their greyhounds get a second chance? “Germany, Belgium, Italy, the Czech Republic, France, Canada and America,” Fionnuala responds.

“There’s some groups that will only take Irish dogs, they just prefer them,” adds James.

And then there was Cian O’Connor’s good deed, when the Trust had 20 greyhounds waiting to go to American adopters.

“Three years ago, we were very, very lucky. Cian was going out to Florida with his horses and he had room on the plane to take them. It was a lovely gesture,” says a grateful Fionnuala.

“We loaded them up here and brought them to Shannon. The van had to be scanned and swabbed,” says James, recalling the strict procedures at the airport, before the lucky greyhounds took off to their new lives in America.

Even with some of the overflow heading stateside, the waiting list of retired greyhounds waiting to be handed in to the various Trust centres exceeds new homes.

It’s a tough situation and it’s about to get even tougher at Timaru Kennels that afternoon, as an elderly greyhound is taken ill and our chat is cut short.

Not content to hope for the best, Fionnuala loads him up and heads to her go-to: the O’Connor Julian vet clinic in Cashel.

There’s good news the following day though, as the patient has made a full recovery.

“I’m a divil, I won’t give up on them,” says Fionnuala Moloney Carey, the Limerick lady, who defies the odds and is a remarkable ambassador for the IRGT’s motto of, ‘When their racing days are over, we’re there to care.’

Like father, like mother, like daughter.