Ballybrit Racecourse

Ballybrit Race Track, also known as Galway Racecourse, is a horse race course in County Galway, Ireland. It is located in the townland of Ballybrit, in the environs of Castlegar, just north of the N6 Bóthar na dTreabh, c.6 km northeast of Galway city.

The track has two stands, the Main, or Killanin Stand and Millennium Stand.[1][2][3][4]

The seven-day Galway Races Festival are held there every August.[5]

Other meetings are held here in September (2 days), early October (1 day) and over the last weekend in October (3 days).[6]

Course information

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Ballybrit is a right-handed course of about one mile and three furlongs, with a steep decline into the dip where the last two fences are situated.[7][8] There is a sharp incline to the finish line.[8]

The Millennium Stand replaced the (then main) Corrib stand in 1999.[9] The Corrib was thought to have the longest bar in the world.[9] The Main, Killanin or West stand was opened in 2007.[10] Its terrace can hold 7,000 people, including seating for 700.[2] It replaced a previous West stand constructed in 1972.[10]

In November 2024, the course received permission from An Bord Pleanála for the addition of new temporary stables and ancillary buildings.[11] Permission would become permanent pending the finalisation of the plans for the Galway City Ring Road.[11]

History

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The first meeting was held in 1869.[12][13]

As part of his visit to Ireland in 1979, Pope John Paul II celebrated mass at the racecourse for two hundred and eighty thousand people.[13] The then Mayor of Galway, Michéal Ó hUiginn, conferred the Freedom of Galway upon the Pontiff.[14]

In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland, the racecourse was used as a mass vaccination centre.[15]

Notable races

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Month DOW Race Name Type Grade Distance Age/Sex
July/Aug Wednesday Galway Plate Chase Handicap 2m 6f 4yo +
July/Aug Thursday Galway Hurdle Hurdle Handicap 2m 4yo +
October Sunday Ballybrit Novice Chase Chase Grade 3 2m 1f 4yo +

References

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  1. ^ glyind (26 May 2020). "Galway Races – Ballybrit Race Track [Today] Times & Dates Wednesday". Galway Independent. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  2. ^ a b "New Killanin Stand opened". RTÉ Sport. 9 July 2007. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  3. ^ "Millennium Stand Galway Racecourse". Stewart Construction. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  4. ^ "Millennium Stand". National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  5. ^ "WATCH: A look at glorious, golden Galway more than 80 years ago". IrishCentral.com. 17 April 2025. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  6. ^ "Information about Galway races". HRI.ie. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  7. ^ "Galway Racecourse | Racecourse Map". RacingPost.com. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  8. ^ a b "Galway Course Guide". AtTheRaces.com. 2021. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021 – via Wayback Machine.
  9. ^ a b Reilly, Gavan (26 July 2010). "Five things you didn't know about the Galway Races". The42.ie. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Galway plan development of West Stand". RTÉ Sport. 28 July 2005. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  11. ^ a b Sassone, Erika (6 November 2024). "Galway racecourse gets green light for new stables ahead of possible Ring Road approval". Independent.ie. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  12. ^ "Galway Festival History". Galway-Races.net. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  13. ^ a b "Ballybrit steeped in History". Irish Daily Mirror. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2015 – via The Free Library.
  14. ^ Kenny, Tom (10 March 2022). "Galway's first Freeman". Galway Advertiser. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
  15. ^ "Ireland's COVID-19 vaccination centres". Gov.ie. 30 March 2021.
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53°17′53″N 8°59′49″W / 53.298°N 8.997°W / 53.298; -8.997

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