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sport · Thursday 2 July 2026 · Various 
Bellewstown July Festival 2026
At Bellewstown Racecourse · Bellewstown, Co. Meath
At Bellewstown Racecourse · Bellewstown, Co. Meath
Racing at Bellewstown has a claim to being one of the most purely enjoyable days out in Irish sport. The July Festival is the course’s flagship meeting - three evening fixtures on a hilltop in Co. Meath, with the Mountains of Mourne to the north and the Irish Sea glinting to the east. The atmosphere is old-style and unpretentious: serious punters come for the tricky course shape; families come for the fairground and food vans; most people come because it is simply a fine summer evening out.
Racing gets going in the early evening on each of the three days and finishes before dark. The card mixes flat and hurdle races over a left-handed course of about a mile and a furlong. The track’s defining feature is its uphill finish on the Hill of Crockafotha, which catches out inexperienced horses and makes course form worth knowing. Inside the enclosure there are food stalls, ice cream vans, a fairground, and bar and tote facilities. Hospitality packages are available through the official website and include a buffet and bar. With only five race days a year at Bellewstown, each meeting has the feel of a genuine occasion.
Bellewstown Racecourse sits about 8 km south of Drogheda on the Hill of Crockafotha, between Drogheda and Navan off the N2. From Dublin, the drive is around 40 minutes via the M1 and then local roads; follow signs from Julianstown or Duleek once you leave the main road. There is on-site parking at the course. Public transport options are limited for this rural venue, so most people drive; if you are coming from Dublin or Drogheda without a car, check the Race and Stay packages which sometimes include coach transfers.
The village itself is small, but the surrounding area of north Co. Meath rewards a bit of extra time - the Boyne Valley is just to the south with Newgrange and the Hill of Tara within easy reach, and Drogheda is a short drive north. 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.