FAIRYHOUSE RACECOURSE
Course: Fairyhouse Racecourse – Easter Festival (Irish Grand National Weekend)
🎫 Ticket & Value: Included via syndicate (general admission approx. €25)
👀 Track View: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🍔 Food: ⭐️⭐️
🍺 Guinness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭕️ Parade Ring: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🏇 Runners and Riders: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎉 Atmosphere: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎶 Entertainment: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️ Overall Experience: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
👍🏻 Best for: Track View
Welcome to The Paddock Preview Episode XX, where we returned to the Emerald Isle—this time for the Easter Festival at the iconic Fairyhouse Racecourse, home of the Irish Grand National. This was a particularly special visit as members of the Closutton Racing Club, with our syndicate horse Maughreen running in the Grade 1 Mares’ Novice Hurdle. The hospitality, views, and atmosphere combined to make it a race day to remember.
Access for the day was through the syndicate’s private suite, which offered fantastic amenities including a finger food buffet, a private tote and bar, and exclusive balcony views over the track. The view from up there is top-tier—5 stars without hesitation. Like many Irish tracks, Fairyhouse offers complete sightlines of the course, something we continue to appreciate more with every visit. Whether you’re trackside on the rail or high above on the grandstand, the full course unfolds in front of you, right down to the last fence. And the last fence viewing point? Unreal. You’re practically on top of it—watching the horses attack the last up close is a thrill like no other.
The parade ring setup is another winner. Sunken slightly into the ground, it provides a natural amphitheatre feel, letting racegoers look down on the action without the need for excessive tiering. While steps only wrap around about three-quarters of the ring due to the broadcasting section, visibility is excellent from all angles. The flow from saddling area to parade ring and then onto the track is smooth, and being able to follow the horses along that journey adds a sense of narrative to every race. It’s also strikingly similar in layout and feel to Punchestown, especially with the pre-parade configuration.
The racing was proper quality—highlighted by appearances from Ireland’s top jockeys including Paul Townend, Rachael Blackmore, Mark Walsh, and Sam Ewing, with Jonny Burke and Sean Bowen flying the flag for the UK. Grade 1 action was the headline, just as you’d hope at a major Easter fixture, and the depth of talent on display made for competitive, high-stakes viewing all day long.
Atmosphere-wise, Fairyhouse delivered that unmatched Irish racing buzz. The betting ring was alive with the booming voices of bookmakers, and the crowd responded in kind—cheering from the off, roaring horses down the home straight, and celebrating even the parade to post. The hospitality of Irish racegoers is second to none, and from the grandstand to the Guinness tent, the mood was electric.
Speaking of Guinness—€7.60 a pint and served in a glass even in the suite (always a good sign). While not quite the creamy perfection of Punchestown, it was still streets ahead of most English pints. Sipped on the balcony with the track in front of us, it definitely did the job. Bars were well-sized, and there were plenty of them, which kept queuing under control.
Food is where Fairyhouse lost a few points—though it’s a partial score this time around. The suite offered a modest finger food buffet (mini burgers, sausages, samosas, and prawns), which was fine for what it was. That said, we’re reserving final judgement until we return and try the general catering options on offer to the wider public.
Entertainment? 5 stars. There was live Irish music on stage throughout the day, bar areas buzzing with punters, and big screens showing the racing. One tent near the final fence becomes a dance tent on Irish Grand National day—and when we say it goes off, we mean really goes off. Live DJs, proper tunes, and a post-racing party atmosphere that keeps the craic going long after the last has run.
Fairyhouse doesn’t overcomplicate things. Once you’re in, you’ve got access everywhere. No wristbands, no restricted enclosures—just a racecourse built for the fan. It’s an honest, pure, thoroughly enjoyable experience that captures everything we love about Irish racing: elite competition, proper viewing, and a crowd that lives every furlong.
Final Verdict: Fairyhouse is a must-visit, especially if you’re lucky enough to go during the Easter Festival. From a top-tier track view and parade ring setup to buzzing crowds and proper live entertainment, it’s everything a National Hunt fan could want—wrapped up in that unmistakable Irish charm. We’ll be back
