A great atmosphere of excitement has been generated annually ever since that first race meeting took place in Ballybrit. Year after year thousands of race goers follow the road to Ballybrit. The history of the Galway Races began in 1764, when a race meeting was held at Knockbarron near Loughrea. Race meetings were later held near Kiltulla, but because of flooding they were transferred to Bushfield, Oranmore in 1868. It was decided to move the event closer to Galway City for the following year. The venue at Ballybrit was acquired when Captain Wilson Lynch of Renmore House donated the land free. The Chair-person of the Stewards was Lord St Lawrence. Other committee members included the Marquis of Clanricarde, Lord Clanmorris, Captain Blake Forster, Henry Persse, Pierce Joyce, George Morris and Sir Valentine Blake. The mile-and-a-half racecourse layout was designed by Thomas Waters, architect and civil engineer. He also designed and supervised the building the Grand Stand. Large crowds were obviously expected as Eyre Square was made available as a camping site for those arriving to attend the races. The organisers were certainly not disappointed as some 40,000 people attended on opening day. It was a two-day meeting and there had been wide-spread publicity about the event. The Midland Great Western Railway Company agreed to carry the horses free from Galway after the meeting. The railway company continued their involvement over the following years by providing additional trains to cater for the crowds. The Corrib Steam Navigation Company laid on a special river-transport service from Cong.
The first race meeting took place on 17 August 1869. The first race that day was the Connaught Pony Race, won by Tom Tit and owned by Robert Persse. There were eight races in total, four each day, including: The Glenarde Plate for tenant farmers; Visitors Plate for gentlemen riders; Ballybrit Plate; Renmore Stakes and of course the Galway Plate. The winner of the first Galway Plate was Absentee ahead of a field of thirteen horses. The owner, Mr. Bell, collected 100 Sovereigns in prize money. It was an open 2 1⁄2 mile handicap steeplechase over eight jumps, two of which were stone walls. The newspapers reported the races as being an outstanding success and mentioned that the course excelled above any other in Ireland. They felt there was a great future for racing at Ballybrit. The greatest Galway Plate performer of those early days was undoubtedly, Tipperary Boy, who was winner in 1899, 1901 and 1902. The first Galway Hurdle was run in 1913, with Red Damsel taking the honours for owner Baron F. deTuyll. The first public broadcast of the races was in 1929. The old ‘wooden’ stand gave way to a more secure iron structure in 1898. This was replaced in 1952, and the famous long public bar was added. The new Millennium Stand was completed in 1999.
One of the notable trainers in the early days was Harry Ussher. In 1920, he trained the winners of all the races on the first day except the Galway Plate. By the 1920s the Galway Races had already become one of the most famous racing festivals in the country. During those years the horses arrived in Galway by special trains accompanied by the ‘Stable-hands’. The horses were stabled mainly in the city; in places such as O’Connell’s (Bar), Eyre Square, Curran’s (Hotel), Prospect Hill, Irwin’s (Undertakers) and the Sportsground in College Road. The 1932 Galway Plate winner was stabled in Irwin’s. The horses had to be walked out to Ballybrit in the early morning and back again in the evening. Some of the jockeys were also housed locally, around Prospect Hill and Bohermore. It wasn’t simply a race meeting; it really was a festival that people (both local and visitors) planned their holidays around. Even those with no interest in horses enjoyed the wonderful atmosphere around the racecourse and the city. It also became the time when local people painted windows, doors, chairs; and sometimes their floors. The outside of houses would also be whitewashed for the occasion.
Most people made their way to Ballybrit on foot, but there were a number of stiles allowing access through the fields, which shortened the journey. Others travelled on Pony and Traps and Sidecars. They had their own races along the way with the drivers being ‘urged-on’ by the passengers. These exciting and sometimes dangerous trips could cost up to five shillings. An automobile was an unusual sight; one source claims that the first car to arrive in Ballybrit was in 1904 and was owned by the Waithman family of Merlin Park House. Over time more cars began arriving from further afield. One was a ‘Baby Ford’ that came regularly with a sign proudly announcing, ‘Galway Or Burst’. One unusual day during this period saw the first horse on the race-card win the first race, the second horse won the second race and so on all way through the six races. It wasa time when families gathered in the ‘Moneen’ to enjoy the spectacle free (some said as the former land-owner had intended). This area later became known as the ‘Dip’. The weather always seemed great in those days and one could almost be guaranteed glorious sunshine for the festival. The three-day meeting was introduced 1961 and the races have continued to evolve with more days being added over time.
In the grounds of the racecourse there were a number of ‘Porter Tents’ and ‘Tea Tents’ to cater for all tastes. The Old Malt House had a ‘Porter Tent’; there was also the Athenry Bar and Castlegar Bar, the latter was run by the Joyce family. The Lawor and Connell families had ‘Tea Tents’. The Lawor family were from Naas and always had an ‘army’ of women employed to kill, pluck, and cook chickens at the racecourse. Musical entertainment was provided by brothers, Johnny and Felix Doran, the great Uileann pipers from Dublin. There were also the Dunne family from Kildare; they were known as the ‘Blind Mice.’ The Traynor family from Tuam were also regular entertainers. People were also entertained watching Harry Walsh armed with a ‘large stick’ stopping people from crossing the track trying to gain free access into stand. This usually occurred while the race was on; and although dangerous, it was the best time to make the attempt. Harry patrolled the area from the Stand to the ‘Dip’; his role was later filled by the Galway Blazers. The ‘Race Starter’ was also fun to watch as he drove his old motorbike from one starting point to another with a table tied to his back. This was used as his platform to start the races. In the early days the grounds work was given to a group from Dublin, but this was frowned upon by the locals as was the army personnel involvement. Eventually, a work arrangement was agreed between the Race Committee and the local community. During the early days of World War II, the races were mentioned by William Joyce (Lord Haw Haw) during his broadcast ‘Germany Calling’. He requested the Race Committee to postpone the races from July until September as the Fuehrer, Adolf Hitler would like to join them in Ballybrit. The reaction in Galway was to have tank traps erected around the city.
Although money was scarce, people were always tempted to gamble. The age-old ‘Three Card Trick’ was sure to cause trouble. One woman was heard warning her ‘grown-up’ son, to stay away from the ‘three-card-trick’ men, or they would soon empty his pockets. He promptly replied ‘that would be difficult Ma, considering I’ve nothing in my pockets.’ Another money game was played with a belt. It was rolled up in such a way that it had a number of loops or holes; you had to locate the centre using a pencil. This also ended in trouble sometimes.
‘The Man in the Barrel’ provided great entertainment. You paid a shilling for ‘three heavy sticks’ allowing a person three chances to hit the man in the barrel as he ducked up and down. There was a small hole in the barrel so he could watch those waiting to throw the sticks. He had to be very fast, but those with the sticks had to be faster. There were three prize-money categories, injure him and draw blood was worth five shillings; seven shillings to knock him on unconscious, and ten shillings if you could kill him. Some of the men lining up would often have drink taken which always added to the excitement. However, no one attending the races was safe once the sticks were thrown. On one occasion, an English tourist was watching a race through his binoculars from the back of the Old Malt truck. He was suddenly struck on the head with a stick and tumbled off the truck. There was a lot of commotion, cursing and swearing as people were trying to help the wounded man, but there was no prize given for that shot. So much for ‘health and safety’ in those days now long gone at the Galway Races.
