Sligo Racecourse

Sligo Town, in the heart of Yeats country, boasts one of the most scenic racecourses in the country. William Butler Yeats regarded Sligo as the Land of Heart's Desire. On either side of Sligo town stand the giant sentinels—Benbulben and Knocknarea. Round about are all the other places immortalised in Yeats’ poetry—Hazelwood, Innisfree, Lisadell, Slish Wood, Dooney, Drumcliffe, etc.

Racing at Sligo has been taking place for over 180 years, being founded at the time when racing enjoyed great prosperity in the country. Indeed so great was the proliferation of race meetings over the period 1805 to 1815 that the organising committee of the Sligo Races decided that its 1814 meeting "will commence in August so as to give the racehorses time to travel to Bellewstown, Maze, Derry and Monaghan, and to come to Sligo".

The programme at all meetings is comprised of both National Hunt and flat races.