Discover What Makes the Galway Races An Unforgettable Experience

Most racecourses would love to be able to boast about the product Galway can deliver. Despite not having top-class racing for the entire seven-day festival, it is a huge attraction for horse racing lovers, but what makes Galway special is the city itself.

Adrian Wall goes to the Galway Races every year and he outlines what makes the experience so special.

Galway Hospitality

The hospitality packages at Galway can be far more expensive during the middle of the week, but the weekend package is of incredible value at just €95 per person. Not only will you have the best view of the course, but also included is:

The Racing

The Galway Plate and the Galway Hurdle are the two biggest races of the week and they certainly draw in the crowds. Although most of the week is filled with a lot of lower grade stuff, each card is very competitive and there's value to be found across the week.

On the Flat, Wayne Lordan was the most successful jockey at the track in 2024, while Joseph O'Brien led the way for the trainers. Over jumps, Jack Kennedy is the man to follow judged on last season, while Gordon Elliott is the trainer to follow.

Check out the complete schedule for the 2025 Galway Races Summer Festival.

Galway Pubs & Bars

If you're fond of a pint of the black stuff, or any other drink for that matter, there's no better city than Galway. Racegoers will be found in An Pucán, Mary Mullens, O'Connell's on Eyre Square, among other fine establishments. The best pint of Guinness I ever had was in Taaffes and if you want a more local horse racing pub head over to Kennedys.

The Food Scene

Aniar is a Michelin-starred restaurant located in Galway’s West End and is well worth a visit. They use wild and foraged local ingredients, and like to foster old traditional cooking and preservation methods, such as curing, pickling, smoking and fermenting.

If you are fond of a pizza, then go to The Dough Bros, genuinely the best pizza in Europe outside of Italy - trust me! For those in search of a 2.30am bite to eat, it's hard to beat Supermacs - get the snack box meal!

Tourist Attractions

If you venture to Galway, the Aran Islands are a must see. There's a ferry from Galway Harbour or from Rossaveel that goes to Inis Mór every day in the summer. On the island, there are several bars and restaurants, plus accommodation. It's worth spending a night there and on a sunny day it resembles a Caribbean island.

How To Get To Galway

If travelling from Britain, the closest airports are Knock and Shannon. Regular buses will drop you into the heart of Galway from there. Dublin is also a great option as there's a direct express bus from the airport into the city centre, which takes around 2hrs 30mins.