Racecourses in Ireland

In this section you’ll find a map of all of the racecourses in Ireland. Each course has it’s own dedicated page where you can find out more information, including course details and the major meetings and races, as well as ticket prices and dining options.

Note: We’ve included the two racecourses in Northern Ireland in the list (Downpatrick and Down Royal). For racecourses in the rest of the UK visit our sister site – ukbettingsites.com.

Map of Irish Racecourses

Full List of Courses

An Overview of Racing in Ireland

The island of Ireland loves horse racing. It is a sport that people from both north and south of the border can get behind, spending time and money heading to the various racecourses up and down the island. There is a mix of both jump and flat courses available, depending on what it is that you’re hoping to do with your time, as well as an all-weather course.

That latter one can be key at times, owing to the fact that both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland can see huge amounts of rain during the year. Here is a look at which venues have what type of course:

To break it down more simply, there are 19 courses across the island of Ireland that have both a course with jumps and a flat racing track available. There are four courses that are only for jump racing, accepting that they might also see some flat races run on them under National Hunt rules. On top of that, there are two courses that are flat offerings on the turf. There is only one all-weather course in Ireland, which is the one at Dundalk Stadium.

Ireland’s Weather

When it comes to heading out to enjoy some racing, or even just knowing what the weather might be like for your betting choices, you might want to know whether it’s going to be sunny, dry or wet. In one sense, you can expect warm summers in Ireland, as well as what might be considered mild winters. That, though, doesn’t tell the full story. The weather on the island tends to look to keep everyone guessing from one minute to the next, meaning that sunny days can soon turn to see some spots of rain falling, whilst dark clouds can clear to reveal blue skies overhead.

In terms of heading along to a racecourse to watch some horses running on the track, that means that you’d do well to plan for virtually any outcome. Sure, you’re unlikely to see snow fall on a sunny day in July, but don’t rule out the possibility that you might end up getting wet before it’s time to head home. Equally, if you’re the sort of person that likes the jump racing that tends to be in the winter period, don’t be shocked if your heavy coat and warm gloves aren’t necessary, but you should also be prepared for a sharp wind to rise up and feel like it’s going to cut you in two.

How Does This Affect Horse Racing in Ireland?

If there’s one thing that racegoers hate, it might well be changeable weather. Aside from anything else, people like to dress up to head to the races, so having to take a big coat with you just in case a warm day turns chilly can completely ruin your outfit choices. Unfortunately, that’s just the way of things in Ireland. The good news is that everyone else will be in the same boat as you, so you won’t be the only one carrying your warm weather coat around on a winter’s day when the weather has decided to be five degrees warmer than you’d planned for.

In terms of the racing itself, the truth of the matter is that rain is never far away from the island of Ireland. That results in Going that tends to be either soft or heavy, especially in the winter months. If there has been a prolonged dry spell, however, you should be prepared for a report of the Going being firm. Should you be heading off to a specific course, it is worth having a look at our more in-depth report on the venue, which will give you a better idea of things such as the drainage that is on offer there. The drainage is generally good in Ireland, but each course has its own system to deal with inclement weather.

Racing Seasons

Although the island of Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom are similar in many ways when it comes to the way in which the seasons are in horse racing, it is worth taking a quick look at when they are specifically. The all-weather course can obviously host flat racing at any time of the year, but when it comes to turf tracks, the flat season tends to run from the middle of March until November. The Irish Guineas Festival is the first meeting of the year that sees one of the Irish Classics take place, usually held at the Curragh in late May.

The Irish Derby Festival comes next, running over three days at the end of June or start of July, whilst the Irish Oaks Festival tends to be held in late July, with both meetings held at the Curragh. That is also where the Irish Champions Festival takes place, split with Leopardstown, in September. The Flat Finale is run at Nas Racecourse in November, generally seen as being when the curtain is brought down on flat racing for the season.

As you have probably worked out, the jump racing season tends to take place when the flat racing season doesn’t. That being said, there is often some overlap, with some jump racing events taking place in October and November to kick-start the season, whilst others can run on until early May. The major events include the Dublin Racing Meeting, which takes place at Leopardstown Racecourse early in February, and the Fairyhouse Easter Festival, which is held every Easter Monday. The season comes to a close with the Punchestown Festival in late April or early May.

Courses That Have Closed

It is a sad reality of life in the current climate that numerous venues can end up closing for a variety of different reasons. Some of the courses that have closed did so many years ago, whilst others have been shut down much more recently than that. Here is a look at the ones that have gone, as well as when and, if the information is available, why:

Baldoyle Racecourse

Known for much of the 20th century as one of the three courses that served the wider Dublin area, Baldoyle Racecourse had hosted racing since the 19th century when financial issues hit. That was in the August of 1972, seeing the course close its doors when renovation costs were deemed to be too high.

Howth Castle Racecourse

The grounds of Howth Castle, as well as the castle itself, can still be visited today, but between 1829 and 1842 there was also a racecourse that held events there.

Clonmoyle West Racecourse

The exact details of Clonmoyle West Racecourse aren’t clear, but various roads in the area bear names such as ‘Racecourse Crossroads’ and ‘Racecourse Hill’, whilst Ordnance Survey maps also show a racecourse there in the 1840s.

Mullingar Racecourse

Actually located at Newbrook, about two miles to the west of the centre of Mullingar, was Mullingar Racecourse, which opened in 1852 and continued to be used for more than 100 years. For horse racing fans, Arkle, the famous jump horse, made his debut at the course. It closed in 1967, eventually being turned into an industrial estate.

Greenpark Racecourse

The first race meeting at Greenpark Racecourse was held on the 13th of October 1891, remaining open for over 100 years. Problems with flooding on the course and traffic issues nearby meant a new location was sought, seeing racing take place for the final time in 1999.

Phoenix Park Racecourse

Phoenix Park Racecourse was on the northern edge of the Dublin area that it was named after. It opened in 1902, closing in 1981 before reopening two years later, then closing permanently in 1990.

Tralee Racecourse

Found in County Kerry, Tralee Racecourse opened in 1898, continuing to operate until the turn of the millennium. At that point, declining standards of the facilities on offer there meant that attendances dropped, resulting in the eventual closure of it in the October of 2008. Although redevelopment plans were put in place, they didn’t happen and point-to-point meetings and pony racing have taken place since.