Galway Racecourse

About the course

Galway Racecourse is at Ballybrit, north-east of Galway city and about 6km from the city centre. The first meeting was held here on Tuesday 17 August 1869, when the racecourse says around 40,000 people came for two days of racing. The Galway Plate was the main attraction that first year and is still run today.

The track is a right-handed circuit of about one mile and three furlongs. Its best-known feature is the run to the line: horses drop steeply into a dip, where the last two fences are, and then face a sharp climb to the finish. Flat and jump races are regularly mixed on the same card, which makes a day at Ballybrit varied even for those who are new to racing.

Big meetings and races

The Summer Festival. Galway's week-long summer festival is the biggest date on the course calendar. It runs for seven days and traditionally leads into the August bank holiday weekend, and the racecourse says it draws more than 150,000 people over the week. The two most coveted races are:

• The Galway Plate, a handicap steeplechase of about two miles and six furlongs, first run in 1869
• The Galway Hurdle, a handicap hurdle over about two miles

Each day has its own theme, with Ladies Day and a family day among them. Our Galway Races guide covers the week day by day, with tickets and dates.

Autumn racing. Ballybrit also stages a two-day meeting in September and a three-day festival in October, which in 2026 ran over the October bank holiday weekend and included a student race day.

Getting there

By road: The course is just off the M6 motorway, so it is straightforward to reach from Dublin, Limerick or Cork. From Cork, take the N20 and then the N18.

By rail: Trains run to Galway city. From there, the shuttle bus is the simplest way out to the course.

By bus: During the summer festival, Bus Éireann runs race-day shuttle buses from Eyre Square in the city centre, departing from outside The Skeff Bar. Return services start before the second last race and continue after racing. Check Bus Éireann for current times and fares.

By air: Shannon Airport is the closest, at about 40 minutes away. Knock is about an hour, Dublin about two hours and Cork about two and a half hours.

Facilities and tips for visitors

Children aged 17 and under are admitted free when accompanied by a parent. The racecourse says it is fully accessible, and it publishes a bag policy that is worth reading before festival days.

For food and drink there are food trucks, The Claddagh Restaurant and hospitality suites, with several bars around the enclosure. Galway encourages contactless payment, though there are ATMs on site.

There is no official dress code. Smart casual is the usual choice, and Thursday and Friday of the summer festival are the days for dressing up.

Nearby places to stay

Galway city is the natural base, with the racecourse a short bus ride away, and the racecourse also points visitors to accommodation across Co. Galway. In summer festival week it is worth booking well ahead. For a longer trip in the west, Ballinrobe in Co. Mayo and Roscommon are the other racecourses in Connacht along with Sligo.