Galway Races
Encyclopedia
The Galway Races is an Irish
horse-racing festival that starts on the last Monday of July every year. Held at Ballybrit Racecourse in Galway
, Ireland over seven days, it is the longest of all the race meets that occur in Ireland.
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The busiest days of the festival are Wednesday, when the Galway Plate
is held, and Thursday, when the Galway Hurdle
and Ladies' Day take place.
The pub
underneath the Corrib Stand, built in 1955, was for many years the longest bar in the world. It was replaced by the Millennium Stand which opened in 1999. The Killanin Stand opened in 2007 replacing the old Corrib (west) Stand.
On the 4th day of the Galway races there was a race meeting held in Tuam
. The last races held in the Tuam race course was in 1973.
Additional race meetings also take place in September and October, but these are not as popular as the summer festival, which draws more than 150,000 spectators.
.
. They are also the subject of eponymous folk song
, popularized by the Clancy Brothers
and the Chieftains
. The Celtic Rock band, JSD Band
played it on the seventies; It appears on their album, Travelling Days. The song also appears on The Kreellers 2008 release, Sixth and Porter. Further, it constitutes the last third of the track Medley on the 1988 album If I Should Fall from Grace with God
by The Pogues
(the two first parts being Recruiting sergeant
and an instrumental version of Rocky Road to Dublin
).
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
horse-racing festival that starts on the last Monday of July every year. Held at Ballybrit Racecourse in Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
, Ireland over seven days, it is the longest of all the race meets that occur in Ireland.
Galway Plate
The Galway Plate is a National Hunt chase in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Galway over a distance of 2 miles and 6 furlongs , and during its running there are fourteen fences to be jumped...
is held, and Thursday, when the Galway Hurdle
Galway Hurdle
The Galway Hurdle is a National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Galway over a distance of 2 miles , and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped...
and Ladies' Day take place.
Festival history
The first racing festival held in Ballybrit was a two-day event with the first race meeting on Tuesday, 17 August 1869. The summer festival was extended to a 3 day meeting in 1959, 4 days in 1971, 5 days in 1974, 6 days in 1982 and, most recently to, 7 days in 1999. The summer festival is the highlight of the business year for most local businesses as crowds and horses flock from all over the world to attend one of the world's biggest race meetings.The pub
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
underneath the Corrib Stand, built in 1955, was for many years the longest bar in the world. It was replaced by the Millennium Stand which opened in 1999. The Killanin Stand opened in 2007 replacing the old Corrib (west) Stand.
On the 4th day of the Galway races there was a race meeting held in Tuam
Tuam
Tuam is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city.-History:...
. The last races held in the Tuam race course was in 1973.
Additional race meetings also take place in September and October, but these are not as popular as the summer festival, which draws more than 150,000 spectators.
Course Information
Right-handed course of one mile and two furlongs, with a steep decline into the dip where the last two fences are situated. These fences are famous for being the closest two fences on any racecourse in the world. There is a sharp incline to the finish line.Ladies Day
Thursday is traditionally the busiest and most stylish day of the week-long Galway Racing Festival. Ladies compete for the coveted title of Best Dressed Lady or Most Elegant Hat. See also FascinatorFascinator
A fascinator is a headpiece, a style of millinery. The word originally referred to a fine, lacy head covering akin to a shawl and made from wool or lace, but mostly feathers.The term had fallen almost into disuse by the 1970s...
.
In culture
The Galway Races are the subject of At Galway Races, a poem by W. B. YeatsWilliam Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years he served as an Irish Senator for two terms...
. They are also the subject of eponymous folk song
The Galway Races (song)
"The Galway Races" is a traditional Irish song. The song's narrator is attending the eponymous annual event in Galway, a city in the west of Ireland.-Recordings:"The Galway Races" has been recorded by a variety of artists, including:...
, popularized by the Clancy Brothers
The Clancy Brothers
The Clancy Brothers were an influential Irish folk music singing group, most popular in the 1960s, they were famed for their woolly Aran jumpers and are widely credited with popularizing Irish traditional music in the United States. The brothers were Patrick "Paddy" Clancy, Tom Clancy, Bobby Clancy...
and the Chieftains
The Chieftains
The Chieftains are a Grammy-winning Irish musical group founded in 1962, best known for being one of the first bands to make Irish traditional music popular around the world.-Name:...
. The Celtic Rock band, JSD Band
JSD Band
The JSD Band were a Scottish based celtic rock band, and one of the leading folk rock bands of the early 1970s. Following a split up, they reformed to produce two further albums due to the amount of interest in their early albums...
played it on the seventies; It appears on their album, Travelling Days. The song also appears on The Kreellers 2008 release, Sixth and Porter. Further, it constitutes the last third of the track Medley on the 1988 album If I Should Fall from Grace with God
If I Should Fall from Grace with God
If I Should Fall from Grace with God was well-received by critics. Mark Deming of Allmusic awarded the album four and a half out of five stars, calling it "the best album the Pogues would ever make." Robert Christgau gave the album a B+ and said that "neither pop nor rock nor disco crossover stays...
by The Pogues
The Pogues
The Pogues are a Celtic punk band, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before...
(the two first parts being Recruiting sergeant
Recruiting sergeant
A recruiting sergeant is a British or American soldier of the rank of sergeant who is tasked to enlist recruits. The term originated in the British army of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries....
and an instrumental version of Rocky Road to Dublin
Rocky Road To Dublin
"Rocky Road to Dublin" is a fast-paced 19th century song about a man's experiences as he travels to Liverpool, England from his home in Tuam. The tune has a typical Irish rhythm, classified as a slip jig in 9/8 timing, and is often performed instrumentally.- Origin :The words were written by D.K...
).