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sport · Sunday 9 August 2026 · 2:00pm 
Ballinrobe August Bank Holiday Races
At Ballinrobe Racecourse · Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo
At Ballinrobe Racecourse · Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo
The August bank holiday meeting at Ballinrobe Racecourse is one of the most popular fixtures on the Irish racing calendar outside the big city tracks. Set in a natural amphitheatre with views over Lough Carra and the Partry Mountains, this is country racing at its best - competitive, sociable, and enjoyably relaxed. It draws a strong crowd every year, mixing local families on a day out with serious punters and visitors exploring Mayo for the long weekend. If you have never been to a National Hunt meeting in the west of Ireland, this is a fine place to start.
The afternoon card is all National Hunt racing - hurdles and chases over a right-handed track that rewards stamina and clean jumping. Ballinrobe is the only racecourse in County Mayo, so each meeting carries a particular local pride, and the August bank holiday card is treated as a genuine highlight of the venue’s season of ten annual fixtures. Expect a full programme of competitive races with horses from yards across Connacht and beyond. On-course bookmakers line the enclosure and there is a Tote as well. Food and drink are available throughout the afternoon. The course earned Racecourse of the Year recognition from the Irish Racegoers Consultative Forum in 2012, and the standard of facilities matches that reputation. Racing at Ballinrobe has a history stretching back to the 1770s, which gives even a casual visit a pleasant sense of occasion. Arrive early on bank holiday fixtures - parking fills steadily from early afternoon.
Ballinrobe sits roughly 20 km south of Castlebar on the N84. From Galway it is around 45 minutes by road via the N84 through Headford. Bus Eireann serves Ballinrobe from Castlebar and Galway, though services on a bank holiday should be checked in advance at buseireann.ie. The racecourse is on the edge of town and well signed from the main road. On-course car parking is available and is the most practical option for most visitors.
Ballinrobe is a compact Mayo market town on the River Robe, with a handful of good pubs and a strong local character - the kind of place that fills up pleasantly on race days. 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.