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seasonal · Thursday 6 August 2026 · Various 
Sligo County Races - Ladies Day National Hunt Evening Meeting
At Sligo Racecourse · Sligo Racecourse, Co. Sligo
At Sligo Racecourse · Sligo Racecourse, Co. Sligo
Ladies Day at Sligo Races is one of the highlights of the summer racing calendar in the west of Ireland. Held on the Thursday evening of the August two-day meeting, it brings together genuine National Hunt racing with the colour and ceremony of the best dressed competition - making it a good day out whether you follow racing closely or just fancy the occasion. It suits people who enjoy a sociable atmosphere, racegoers, and anyone who puts thought into what they wear.
The racing itself is National Hunt - jumps racing over Sligo’s famously tricky right-handed circuit at Cleveragh, about a kilometre from town. The course has long sharp turns, undulations and a steep uphill finish, which makes for competitive and unpredictable racing. The backdrop is hard to beat: panoramic views of the Sligo mountains from the grandstands set the scene for an evening meeting that tends to have a celebratory feel.
Alongside the racing, Ladies Day carries its own programme. Judges move through the crowd looking for the best dressed attendees - those who catch their eye receive a pink wristband and an invitation to the marquee for a glass of prosecco. It is the kind of low-key, warm competition that suits the scale of the racecourse: not intimidating, but enough to give the day its own identity.
The August meeting follows the Galway Festival, so racegoing is already in the air across Connacht. General admission is around €15 at the gate. The course has a long history - racing at Cleveragh opened in 1955, drawing 7,000 on its first day, and the tradition of racing in County Sligo goes back to at least 1781.
Sligo town is roughly two and a half hours from Dublin via the N4/M4 - a straightforward drive through the midlands and into the northwest. From Galway, the N17 takes you north through Tuam and Claremorris; allow about two hours. The racecourse at Cleveragh is less than a kilometre from Sligo town centre and has ample on-site car parking. Bus Eireann serves Sligo from Dublin, Galway and other main towns, and the racecourse is close enough to walk or take a short taxi from the bus station on Lord Edward Street.
The August Bank Holiday weekend makes this a natural base for a few days away. Strandhill beach is a short drive west, Lough Gill is just east of town, and Yeats country - Drumcliffe churchyard, Ben Bulben - sits just up the road. There is more to see in Sligo and across Co. Sligo.
Heading to Sligo Racecourse in Sligo? Sligo has plenty more to see. Read the Sligo area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.