Curragh racetrack
 

Can anyone tell me about Curragh? Should we stay in Dublin when we plan to attend the Derby 6/29/03. I see a train to Curragh is available from Heuston Station, Dublin. Is there anyplace nice to stay near the train station? Or should we go out of the city and stay somewhere near the racetrack? Any information would be appreciated. Thanks.

Check out www.curragh.ie, gives accommodation list (2 hotels next to track). Not the most populous area so selection is a bit limited.<BR>I would choose to stay in city, if you like to have more options close by for other days. If you want some countryside, stay out at the Curragh - certainly convenient if Derby Day is going to be your main tourist event.<BR>Can't help with hotel accommodation at all.

IS this the Busweiser Derby (Darby?) . I waoul say any decent place nearby is booked out well in advance as many hotels will host corporate parties etc. As well you would need acar to get around and 8if its raining you wil be parking in a muddy field beside the track.<BR><BR>I've been twice. Once I took the train from heuston and it was great but packed and a fairly crowded back to Dublin. Go on the early train. The second time someone drove. You could arrange a driver/taxi from dublin. Ask the hotel.<BR><BR>It's a fun day put and pay the extra fro enclosure tix where you can see the horse viewing before they go on the race. Its a fun place to people watch with all the glitzy hats and people arriving in Helicopters. I never saw that before here in Ireland.<BR><BR>Have fun!

We went to the Curragh in 2000 for opening day. I'm sure it wasn't nearly as crowded as it will be for the Budweiser Derby. We stayed in Dublin and as we had a rental car, we drove out. It is an easy drive as long as you don't mind driving on the left side of the road. It was a great experience. We stood along the rail in the parking area and literally could have touched the horses as they ran by. We have a great picture that has the jockey and horse on the rail right in the camera lens. The fields (in the races) are so much larger at the Curragh. There were at least 18 horses compared to the average 7 or 8 in the states. They had a local town band playing and they had the regular parimutuel betting and the men outside lined up taking bets.

I've never actually been to the races but I visit my husband's family almost every year in Newbridge which is right next to the Curragh. There are quite a few B&amp;B in and around that area but booking early would be best; as others have mentioned, it will be busy. <BR><BR>Newbridge itself has several hotels; the Keadeen Hotel being the main, nicer and more expensive one. Am sure you can arrange transport from there if you decide not to drive. Check out www.Irishotels.com for more options.<BR><BR>Since we have family in the area I normally do not stay anywhere else but &quot;at home&quot; however we HAVE stayed the Martinstown House which is on the Curragh and it was extremely nice, clean, the owner very friendly and the house something out of a dream. (There were cats and dogs that lived in the residence though so those with allergies beware!) You can find Martinstown House at www.HiddenIreland.com - click on the red dot in Co. Kildare.<BR><BR>I've also been around the Curragh during Derby Day and the traffic into and out of Kildare and surrounds was chock-a-block so the &quot;getting there early&quot; advice is quite sound. It's basically two lanes in and out (thus the so-called Dual Carriage Way).<BR><BR>Have a great time!