Horse racing in May?

June 21, 2011

Question:

We want to experience horse racing while in Ireland in May 2012. Has racing season started by then? And can anyone recommend good race courses in the south or west?

4 Answers

Terri Heckman says:

March 26, 2015 at 9:42 pm

Is there still horse racing in Kilrush? I have read an old poem about the races on May 24 in Kilrush, but I can’t find anything online about horse racing there. Apparently there is a horse fair and market there a few times through the year.

Reply
Katherine says:

June 21, 2011 at 8:44 pm

There is racing in Ireland all year round, but it’s hard to find exact dates/locations this far in advance. You can be pretty sure there will be something suitable on though.

The first week of May is the end of the national hunt season (racing over fences) and the start of the flat season, so it will likely be flat racing you’ll see.

If you are here in the first week of May you should try to get to Punchestown, a racing festival which marks the end of national hunt racing for the year. I think it’s the most fun race meeting of the year, very friendly and laid back crowd and very much a family event – many of the schools in the area close for a day so that the kids can go.

Reply
- jamesk says:
  
  June 21, 2011 at 9:17 pm
  
  Thank you for your quick reply! I’m a huge Beatles fan, and the thought of being that close to “Mecca” and not seeing it, well, I just gotta!
  
  I appreciate your comments on travel time. I had factored that in, but may have been too optimistic. The Beatles tour I’m looking at is a half day, starting whenever we get there, so I’m just planning on one long, but ultimately satisfying day. Alot will depend on where we stay in Dublin. Guess we have some time to sort that out. My big problem now is that I want to go now!
- jamesk says:
  
  June 21, 2011 at 9:18 pm
  
  Ooops! Posted to the wrong question! See Dublin Liverpool by air.