Page 15 - THE SLOUGHI REVIEW SPECIAL ISSUE 7 B

T H E S L O U G H I R E V I E W 1 5

When he arrived in England greyhound racing was still a new sport, having only
started there in 1926. New stadiums had been built around the country but the
whole affair had not yet fully taken off among the public. Mick arrived at just the
right time and through his popularity did more to help promote the sport than any
man, woman or dog. In fact, within a few short years more people were attending
greyhound races than football matches. Mick became as famous as many of the
actors, athletes or musicians of the day. He even became a movie star in 1934
when he starred in the film Wild Boy which was based on his life story. He died in

1939 but was preserved and can still be seen on display at the British Natural
History Museum in Tring near London. In 2011 the people of Killeigh erected a
statue on the village green in his honour.

2. A tribute to Mick in The Star newspaper dated Dec 20th 1957.

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Mick was born on 29 June 1926 at Millbrook House in Killeigh village. His breeder
was Fr Martin Brophy, the parish curate who was a lover of greyhounds. Fr Brophy
had mated his own dam, Na Boc Lei with sire Glorious Event (owned by P.J.
Meehan of Portlaoise) to produce a litter of 10. Mick the Miller was born the
smallest and weakest of the litter. However, a young local man called Michael
Greene who was working for Fr Brophy at the time and took a shine to Mick the
Miller. Michael began looking after the little pup as if he was his own pet and even
bottle fed him. In time Mick the Miller caught up in size and strength to his
siblings. Fr Brophy eventually sold most of the litter but kept Mick the Miller and
his brother Macoma at Millbrook House.