Racecourse commentator Jerry Hannon from Listowel, Co Kerry, says his career as the voice of Irish horse racing started out as a party piece
Horse racing commentator Jerry Hannon at Leopardstown Racecourse. Photo: Caroline Norris
‘I went to my first race meeting when I was seven years old. I was born and raised in Listowel, Co Kerry, and I went to the Listowel Races Harvest Festival every September. Birds Amusements would roll into town a week beforehand and I was like a yo-yo between the rides in the market and the racing.
It’s a week-long festival and, back then, the schools in Listowel got a half day on the Friday and then a whole week off the following week. I’d say we were the envy of every other school in Kerry.