Most years, I make the trek down the N17 to grace the Galway races and every time the spine tingles with excitement. It’s not just about the racing. It’s the entire experience that the amazing city has to offer. If you haven’t made the journey to Galway yet, it’s time you do so. So, what makes it so special?
The standard ticket entry at the Galway Races is still a fantastic experience, but why not go the extra mile and take advantage of the incredible weekend hospitality offer? We typically book the Saturday hospitality package which is incredible value at just €95 per person. Granted, the racing might not be top-class, but it’s still very enjoyable and competitive racing. So, what’s included for the €95?
You would be hard pressed to find the above package at any British racecourse for less than a few hundred pounds! It’s a brilliant deal!
If you’re fond of a pint of Guinness like myself, there’s no greater place for porter on earth than Galway. In fact, I’d go as far to say that the best pint of the black stuff I’ve ever had was in Taaffes bar on Shop Street. At 11am on the Friday morning of the races, the place is packed with drinkers and those eating a fry up.
Other terrific establishments include An Pucán which has a huge beer garden out the back, Mary Mullens which will have live music all day, O’Connell’s on Eyre Square, and if you are looking for a more local feel, then head over to Kennedys just at the top of Eyre Square which is a proper horse racing pub with a BoyleSports and Paddy Power next door.
I’m a man with an Italian grandmother and I know a good pizza when I see one! The Dough Bros pizzeria opens at noon daily and take it from me, it is possibly the best pizza in Europe outside of Italy. We have a tradition of hitting the place every year at noon on the Friday before we hit the bars to bet on Goodwood and Galway.
Last year, I took our group across to the Aran Islands for a night as part of the Galway trip. Inis Mór island is a special place and it’s well worth taking a day out of the week to spend a night there. You can get a ferry from Galway or from Rossaveel which is a much shorter ferry ride. On the island, there are several fantastic pubs and restaurants and the local’s first language is Irish. On a sunny day, the island resembles something you’d see from the Caribbean!
If you are travelling from Britain, the closest airports to Galway are Shannon and Knock. The latter is a jewel of an airport as it’s very small so there’s no queues to contend with. On the way home, it’s car to bar in about five minutes! Keep in mind you will have to pay a €10 development fee when leaving Knock. There will be regular buses from both Knock and Shannon into Galway.
If you want to fly into Dublin, there is a direct express bus from the airport straight to Eyre Square in Galway and it takes just over 2hrs and 30 mins.
Galway can be expensive but only if you leave it too long to book. I tend to book the a year in advance to get the best deal and the best accommodation. We got a stunning Air BnB bang in the heart of the city for just over €1,200 last year for two nights, so just over €200 each for the group of six. That’s cheap as chips for Galway on race week. Plan ahead and you’ll save a fortune!