So far attendances have been on a par with last year for the first half of the week, but organisers are expecting the 2024 Galway Races to be a bumper one with the weather gods tipping mainly fine weather for rest the festival.

A new Summer Vibes festival, featuring fashion shows and gigs across four locations across town, has been deemed a success in drawing people from Ballybrit to the city to spend their cash on the traditionally quieter nights before the serious business of the seven-day extravaganza kicks off.

Crowds at the track were up on Monday by 400 people to 17,074, which was better than expected given the numbers who had travelled to Croke Park for the All-Ireland football final.

While they didn’t get to show off the Sam Maguire, the Galway senior footballers got to bask in the sunshine and the well wishes of disappointed fans at Ballybrit on Tuesday when the stiles showed the crowds were slightly up by 174 to 13,680.

The biggest cheer of the night was reserved for Ireland’s new Olympian gold medalist Daniel Wiffen, whose spectacular last lap sprint was watched by thousands on screens all over the racecourse.

In his tenure as manager of the Galway Racecourse, Michael Maloney, said he’s never had an easier start to the week.

“We couldn’t be more happy with the start – two years ago when Galway were in the final the crowd was down by 5,000 – so to have over 17,000 here to create an unbelievable atmosphere was amazing,” he enthused.

The feedback on changes in recent years has been overwhelmingly positive, with more food stalls, more covered areas and the Ladies Day marquee moved to a more central area behind the Millenium Grandstand.

“It’s the easiest Monday I’ve ever had and that’s down to our core management team of 30 who meet every day and plan everything to the last detail,” reflects the manager.

“We’ve done a lot of work to move the sentiment on Ladies Day back to where it was and we think there is a big come back on that. We’re very happy with the ticket sales on that. Friday is looking like rain for the morning but clearing for the racing so hopefully people will have lunch in town then head out to us.

“The sun is splitting the stones here now – something I’ve never had before in Ballybrit,” he laughs.

Country Music Day led by Mike Denver was the showstopper for Wednesday’s Plate Day, when 16,023 passed the turnstiles, down 477 on last year.

Marketing manager Sinead Cassidy said overall they were expecting attendances over the week to be up due to brisk online sales, buoyed by the popular flexi ticket and three-day value passes.

“We’re very happy with the festival so far with crowds up on Monday and Tuesday when the sun shone so the Child of Prague is working. Online ticket sales are pacing well ahead of last year and we’re expecting Ladies Day and Friday to be well up,” she remarked.

In 2023 attendances were 26,000 and 24,000 on Thursday and Friday.

“I think consumer confidence is really back this year. Last there was a residue from Covid but that has really shaken off this year.”

Pictured: Jean Browne, Marie Anne Walsh, Caroline Downey, Pam Richardson Hoare and Gillian Duggan from Galway at Ladies Day of the Galway Races.