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sport · Tuesday 25 August 2026 · 17:30 
Bellewstown August Race Meeting - Day 1
At Bellewstown Racecourse · Bellewstown, Co. Meath (Drogheda area)
At Bellewstown Racecourse · Bellewstown, Co. Meath (Drogheda area)
Bellewstown’s August race meeting is one of the summer fixtures that gets people genuinely excited about going racing. Held on the Hill of Crockafotha in Co. Meath, the track sits high enough that on a clear evening you can see the Mountains of Mourne to the north and the Irish Sea to the east - a setting that no flat city course can match. Day 1 of the two-day August meeting takes place on the evening of Tuesday 25 August, with gates open from 5:30pm. It suits families, groups of friends, and anyone who wants a proper evening out that doesn’t cost a fortune.
Bellewstown has been staging races since 1726, making it one of the oldest active racecourses in Ireland. The course itself is a one-mile, one-furlong left-handed circuit that runs both flat and National Hunt (hurdle) racing - so you get variety across the card. Evening meetings here tend to finish just before 9pm, giving you a full afternoon’s racing in the long summer light. Food and drink outlets are on site, and the grassy hillside lends itself to the kind of relaxed picnic atmosphere that draws crowds back year after year. A Best Dressed competition is a regular feature at Bellewstown meetings, adding a social layer alongside the sport. Tickets start from €20 - reasonable for what is a full evening of top-class racing on a genuinely beautiful course.
Bellewstown village sits roughly 8km south-west of Drogheda and about 45km north of Dublin, just off the M1 motorway. By car, take the M1 to the Julianstown or Duleek exits and follow signs for Bellewstown - the course is signposted locally. On race days, parking on-site is the norm; arrive with time to spare as the hill road gets busy around gates-open. Public transport options to the racecourse itself are limited, but buses run regularly between Dublin and Drogheda, from where a taxi to the course is straightforward.
The surrounding Boyne Valley is one of the most historically rich landscapes in Ireland - Newgrange, the Hill of Tara, and the Battle of the Boyne site are all within easy reach for anyone making a day of it. There is more to see in Bellewstown and across Co. Meath.
Heading to Bellewstown Racecourse in Bellewstown? Meath has plenty more to see. Read the Bellewstown area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.