The Galway Races HAVE YOU BEEN YET?

WHILE you never need just one reason to visit Galway, it’s no harm to experience the thrills and spills of the Galway Races. It runs from July 30 to August 5 and if for whatever reason you haven’t been there up to now, then the advice is that you should definitely consider putting it on your bucket list in 2018. It’s an amazing 7-day festival that’s about much more than just horses, it’s about place, community and people embracing a festival atmosphere.

What the Cheltenham and Punchestown festivals are to the months of March and April, the Galway Races is to August for this is the flagship event of the summer in the west. Over 140,000 people passed through the turnstiles in Ballybrit at last year’s festival which is testament to its ever-growing reputation. These are quite remarkable figures in the sense that people turn up because they want to, not because they have to.

The racecourse hospitality facilities are also second to none with quality restaurants and spacious bars onsite. The course continually strives to offer the race goer a wonderful raceday experience and the city of Galway also comes alive during that week with bars, restaurants and accommodation providers putting on their best face. But not to drift too far from the main action, there’s over 50 races throughout the week with last year’s prize money topping a cool €2 million. If you fancy a small flutter there’s plenty of options with Tote, on-course betting shops and on-course bookmakers available. Throughout each day of the festival there will also be live music on-course. Lastly, the ever popular Ladies’ Day takes place on Thursday, August 2 with a staggering prize of €10,000 going to the best dressed man or woman.