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sport · Saturday 25 July 2026 · 1:00pm 
MacDonagh Junction Lyrath Estate Ladies Day
At Gowran Park Racecourse · Gowran, Co. Kilkenny
At Gowran Park Racecourse · Gowran, Co. Kilkenny
Gowran Park’s Ladies Day is one of the highlights of the Kilkenny racing calendar - a full afternoon of flat racing wrapped around a serious best dressed competition, live music across three venues, and the kind of easy sociable atmosphere that works just as well for people who have never placed a bet. It suits groups, couples, and solo visitors alike, and the dress code gives people a genuine reason to make an effort.
The 2026 edition is sponsored by MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre and the Lyrath Estate Hotel - a partnership now in its eleventh year, which gives you a sense of how well the day has settled into the local calendar. Bolands Mazda Carlow have come on board as the car partner this year.
The race card is a seven-race flat card, with the feature race being the Listed Marble City Stakes, first race at 1:00pm. On the fashion side, local TV stylist Marietta Doran returns as guest judge - the top prize is two nights at the Lyrath Estate Hotel, a €1,000 MacDonagh Junction gift card, and a courtesy car for the weekend courtesy of Bolands Mazda. Entertainment runs in three zones: a live DJ in the style marquee, live music on the Prosecco Lawn, and a live band in the Thyestes Bar.
Gowran Park opened in 1914 and sits in mature parkland with a wooded backdrop that makes it one of the more attractive tracks in the country.
Gowran is on the N10 between Kilkenny city and Carlow town, roughly 15 minutes from Kilkenny city centre. From Dublin, take the M9 south and exit for Kilkenny South - allow around 90 minutes. Parking is on site. If you prefer not to drive, a free shuttle bus runs from Kilkenny Castle Gate, leaving one hour before the first race and returning one hour after the last - handy if you are staying in the city or arriving by train to Kilkenny.
The village itself has the remains of a significant medieval collegiate church and is worth a few minutes on arrival. There is more to see in Gowran and across Co. Kilkenny.
Heading to Gowran Park Racecourse in Gowran? Kilkenny has plenty more to see. Read the Gowran area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.