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food-drink · Monday 24 August 2026 · Raceday 
Ballinrobe Races - Fine Dining and Racing
At Ballinrobe Racecourse · Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo
At Ballinrobe Racecourse · Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo
A day at Ballinrobe Racecourse is rarely just about the racing. The Coranna Restaurant Package wraps a four-course gourmet meal around the action, with reserved seating that looks straight out over the track and parade ring. If you want to combine a proper lunch with a genuine afternoon of racing - rather than balancing a paper plate at the rail - this is the ticket. It suits couples, groups of friends, and anyone who treats a raceday as an occasion rather than a quick flutter.
The Coranna Restaurant sits with panoramic views of the track, so you can follow every race from your table. The package includes racecourse admission, a reserved table for the full day, a complimentary racecard, a four-course gourmet meal, free car parking, and Tote betting. Catering is handled by Lydon House Catering, a well-regarded Galway hospitality company, so the food is a step above what you would expect on a racecourse.
If the Coranna is fully booked - it sells out quickly, particularly for the Friday fixtures - the Corrib self-service restaurant is the alternative, and there are full bar and fast food facilities across the site as well. Post-race live music is a regular feature, which gives the day a longer, easier shape than most sporting events.
Ballinrobe itself has been staging race meetings since 1773, with the current track in use since 1921. It was voted Racecourse of the Year in Ireland in 2012 by racegoers. The atmosphere is relaxed - no dress code, a children’s playground for families, plenty of free parking - but the August fixture tends to pull a strong crowd and a good card.
Ballinrobe is in south Co. Mayo, roughly 45 minutes south of Castlebar and about an hour from Galway city via the N84. The racecourse is 3km north-west of the town centre, clearly signposted. Free on-site parking is included in the Coranna package. Bus Eireann serves Ballinrobe from Claremorris and Westport, but a car is the practical option for most visitors coming from outside the area.
The town sits at the southern tip of Lough Mask, with Lough Corrib not far to the south - the lake country here draws anglers and walkers as well as racegoers, and the town has a good few pubs that fill up well on race evenings. There is more to see in Ballinrobe and across Co. Mayo.
Heading to Ballinrobe Racecourse in Ballinrobe? Mayo has plenty more to see. Read the Ballinrobe area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.