Now in its fifth year, Dublin Racing Festival makes a welcome return to Leopardstown Racecourse next month (February 4-5). A weekend of Grade 1 horse racing at the prestigious Dublin track will be complemented by some superb live music performances, appetising local cuisine and a variety of on-site entertainment that will see the public returning to Leopardstown over two exciting days.
Following its launch in 2017, Dublin Racing Festival has established itself as one of the premium events on the Irish and UK racing calendar and has brought thousands of punters to Dublin with its vibrant celebration of the city, its music and food culture, while attracting some of the biggest names in horse racing. It has proven an excellent precursor to the Cheltenham Festival and 2022 will see live performances from Mundy and George Murphy among others.
Saturday’s headliner at Dublin Racing Festival, Mundy, was propelled to international stardom with the track ‘To You I Bestow’, which was included on the soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann’s Shakespeare adaptation Romeo & Juliet. It sold 11 million copies worldwide while casting a huge spotlight on his debut album Jelly Legs.
Mundy went on to release the multi-platinum record 24 Star Hotel, with hit tracks ‘July’ and ‘Mexico’ becoming firm favourites. Raining Down Arrows, which hit the #1 slot in the Irish Album Charts, came next while his first live album, Live and Confusion, followed, recorded at a storming and sold out Vicar St show. It was certified platinum in 2007. ‘Galway Girl’ was recorded as an encore and went on to become the best selling single and most downloaded song 2 years in a row in Ireland. He has since released Strawberry Blood, Shuffle and the self-titled Mundy.
Meanwhile, Sunday’s headline act, George Murphy made his mark on the Irish music scene after a memorable appearance on the RTE Television show You’re a Star, where his rendition of classic songs by Luke Kelly wowed the nation. George has since released four solo studio albums – Dreamed A Dream (Sony), So The Story Goes, The Ballad of Archie Thompson, and 2016’s Shadowman: The Stable Sessions – and his touring and superb live performances have gained him a loyal international audience.
Dublin Racing Festival will also mark the beginning of a partnership between Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and Bulmers that will see the popular brand link up with HRI across a number of events during 2022, including the return of Bulmers Live at Leopardstown this summer.
Paul Dermody, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland said: “Bulmers is a brand synonymous with entertainment and enjoyment and while we have enjoyed an incredibly strong relationship over the years, today’s announcement is a major milestone for Horse Racing Ireland as we reimagine how we partner with brands. With the support of Bulmers we look forward to superb entertainment that will deepen existing race fans’ experiences and broaden the appeal of Horse Racing to a new audience. We are so thrilled to be in a position to showcase this partnership, which also highlights our continuing commitment to Irish music, to our racegoers from next week at Dublin Racing Festival 2022.”
Dublin Racing Festival will once again showcase some signature Dublin dishes over the weekend as the public are invited to sample some of the city’s culinary delights at a Dublin Street Food Court. Pop-up busking will add to the festival atmosphere, ensuring some of the capital’s most iconic tunes provide a sonic backdrop to the weekend. Rugby fans will also be able to watch the opening encounters in the 6 Nations Championship on big screens including Ireland v Wales on Saturday at 2.15pm.
Advanced tickets: €35
Concession for kids, OAP’s and Students (see leopardstown.com)
Free shuttle buses from Luas and Blackrock Dart station
