Top Horse Racing At Limerick
Horse racing and the Irish are almost inseparable and when you add fine food, drink and music to the occasion, it ends up as a memorable day at the races. Limerick Race Course is the venue for flat, hurdle and steeplechase horse racing and is home to the famous Munster Grand National. The curious thing is that the race course has changed its venue to a brand new place while retaining its original name.
Limerick Race Course was originally located at Greenpark in Limerick City since the late 1880s. With a view to expand and improve facilities, the last horse racing meet was held at this historic race course in 1999 as the surrounding area had grown into a large industrialized city. A new venue to meet the growing needs of the ever increasing race going public was chosen outside the city. The race course is now located at Greenmount Park and a new track that opened in 2001. On its first day of racing it catered for and welcomed over 18,000 race goers.
Greenmount Stud, which was purchased in 1996, is located six kilometers from the city boundaries near the village of Patrickswell. It had nearly 400 acres of prime greenbelt farmland and a panoramic setting at which local point-to-point had been held for as long as one could remember. Greenmount was the natural choice for the new race course and today it has superb facilities and some of the best viewing in the country. It is the first racecourse built from scratch in Ireland in over fifty years. Greenmount Park will hopefully meet the potential and demand of the Munster people in the heart of National Hunt country.
Limerick is easily accessible and is only a few hours drive from most parts of Ireland. Shannon International Airport is well connected to a large number of UK, European and American destinations and is the easiest way to get to Greenmount Park. The racecourse is a wonderful way to spend a day in the open. The main facility is the Hugh McMahon Stand which spreads over four floors. One can enjoy a private or semi private venue here for ten to 450 guests and watch the racing in elegant and comfortable surroundings.
There are a number of bars and restaurants at the course such as Tote Hall, Munster Suite and Greenmount Suite. Panoramic Restaurant can be reserved at a race meeting and offers excellent food, with full bar and betting facilities. After the last race each evening music concerts are held at the race course to make it a night to remember. Limerick Racecourse offers fun for the entire family and this year they have teamed up with Perks Leisureland to host a Family Race Day on Sunday July 9th. The fun begins with the first race from 2.30pm with a full National Hunt card. Perks will provide a host of family entertainment to suit all ages.
