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seasonal · Monday 20 July 2026 · 5:10pm 
Ballinrobe July Racing Festival
At Ballinrobe Racecourse · Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo
At Ballinrobe Racecourse · Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo
Horse racing on a long July evening in south Mayo has a particular pull - the light holds until late, the ground is usually firm, and the crowd that turns out for Ballinrobe’s summer festival is as much about the atmosphere as the form book. The two-day July Racing Festival at Ballinrobe Racecourse runs across Monday 20th and Tuesday 21st July 2026, mixing flat racing and National Hunt cards with family entertainment and an evening dance. It suits anyone who enjoys a proper race meeting without the scale or crowds of a big national fixture.
Monday 20th is Family Day, built around a flat racing card with first race at 5:10pm. Corvenieos Entertainment provides a range of complimentary attractions on the day - carnival games, a giant wire obstacle course, a children’s playground with face painting, stilt walkers, cartoon character appearances, and a comedy horse photo opportunity. Children under 14 get in free when accompanied by an adult. The featured race is a Tote-sponsored flat handicap with a strong prize fund, and six to seven races are typically spread through the evening.
Tuesday 21st switches to National Hunt, again with first race at 5:10pm. A Boylesports-sponsored handicap hurdle anchors the card. In recent years the Tuesday night has finished with a live dance - the Mike Denver Race Dance follows racing and is included in the cost of race admission. The racecourse management notes that July meetings draw a lot of visitors who are in the area on holiday, which tends to give both evenings a relaxed, festival feel that stands apart from a standard Monday-night fixture.
Tickets are priced from EUR 15 and can be bought online in advance at ballinroberacecourse.ie.
Ballinrobe sits in south-central County Mayo, roughly 25 minutes from Castlebar, 40 minutes from Westport, and about 50 minutes from Ballina. The N84 connects it to Castlebar to the north and Galway city (about an hour south via Headford). There is no rail connection to Ballinrobe, so a car is the practical choice for most visitors; Bus Eireann serves the town on some routes from Castlebar and Galway but check current timetables as evening racing may not align well with return services. Ballinrobe Racecourse has on-site parking and the approach is well signposted from the town centre.
Ballinrobe is a market town on the River Robe with good pubs and a compact centre that repays a walk before racing. Lough Mask and Lough Corrib are both within easy reach for anyone combining the trip with fishing or walking in the surrounding countryside. 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.