Horse races are held on an almost daily basis and there are race courses all over the country. There are great classic meetings, such as the Irish Derby at the Curragh, racing festivals like Galway and Punchestown, which provide up to a week of continuous racing in a wonderful holiday atmosphere, and small country courses which only hold one or two meetings each year. If you are coming specifically to race, you should check the dates of meetings and select a Hidden Ireland house in the neighbourhood. Alternately, if you just feel like a day at the races, check the paper to see if there is a meeting within easy reach.
Among the best known race courses with nearest Hidden Ireland houses are as follows: -
Ballinrobe -
Clonalis
Bellewstown -
Rossnaree
Curragh -
Martinstown
Clonmel -
Mobarnane or
Lismacue
Cork (Mallow) -
Ballyvolane House
Downpatrick -
Tyrella
Down Royal -
Tyrella
Dundalk -
Hilton
Fairyhouse -
Rossnaree
Galway-
Ballinderry or
Mount Vernon
Gowran Park -
Lorum
Kilbeggan -
Mornington or
Clonalis
Killarney -
Coolclogher
Laytown -
Mornington or
Hilton
Leapardstown -
Number 31
Limerick -
Mount Vernon or
Ashley Park
Clifden or
Lismacue
Listowel -
Coolclogher
Naas -
Martinstown
Navan -
Mornington
Punchestown -
Martinstown
Roscommon -
Castlecoote or
Clonalis
Sligo -
Temple House
Thurles -
Mobernane or
Lismacue
Tipperary -
Lismacue
Tralee -
Coolclogher
Tramore -
Kilmokea
Wexford -
Ballinkeele
In addition to the regular racing calendar, most hunts hold Point to Point races at the end of the hunting season, while there are also small local race meetings, some even held on sandy beaches. These are usually fun but are not always part of the official racing calendar.