Top 5 Horse Racing Festivals in Ireland

1. Fairyhouse Easter Festival

📅: March 30th - April 1st 2024

📍 : Fairyhouse Road, Ballybin, Ratoath, County Meath

Runners on Parade for the Boylesports Irish Grand National during day two of the Fairyhouse Easter Festival at Firehouse Racecourse, Ratoath - 22nd April 2019. Source: PA Images.

While some race meetings are moved around yearly, the Fairyhouse Easter Festival is very much set in stone. Since 1870, the Irish Grand National has been run at the Meath venue on Easter Monday. With such winners as Arkle, Flyingbolt, Tied Cottage, Brown Lad and Desert Orchid, it is one of the most iconic jump racing races and is Ireland's richest national hunt prize. 

Run over three miles and five furlongs; it is a race that always provides drama, thrills and spills, with the winner always needing a degree of luck for a chance at success. The starting prices of recent locally-trained winners, Lord Lariat in 2022 and Freewheelin Dylan in 2021, at 40/1 and 150/1, respectively, show that it can be a bit of a lottery for punters placing a bet. Traditionally attracting a huge number of racegoers from Dublin, Grand National day is also an event of colour, hospitality and fun. 

But for those looking for a quieter day at the races, Boylesports Gold Cup Day is still full of high-quality action. Ticket and general information can be found on Fairyhouse Racecourse's website and social media channels, including Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube. 

Read our betting guide to the Irish Grand National here. 

3. The Curragh Irish Derby Festival

📅: 24- 26th May 2024 (subject to change) 

📍 :  Curragh Racecourse, Newbridge, County Kildare 

Foxy Forever was ridden by Colm O'Donoghue (bottom centre) on the way to winning the Tote Rockingham Handicap during day three of the Irish Derby Festival at the Curragh Racecourse, Co. Kildare, Ireland - 28th June 205. Source: PA Images. 

While Punchestown is the home of national hunt racing in Ireland, Curragh is the home of flat racing. And the jewel in the crown of their racing calendar is the Dubai Duty Irish Derby Festival. The glittering meeting is one of the social events of the year that also attracts some of the best three-year-old horses from across Europe. But this is just one of a number of top-quality races that take place across all three days of action. 

The racecourse has undergone significant renovations recently, which have guaranteed racegoers access to world-class facilities.  Ticket and general information can be found on the Curragh's website and social media channels, including Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Read our betting guide for the Irish Derby here.