I HATE the fookin Races.

Fozzie Bear

Am I alone in dispising the Galway Race week? I do my best every year to be gone for this week but I could not this year. Just tried to drive into town from Oranmore. I spent over an hour sitting in traffic and managed to get as far as Ballybrit and Renmores (tried coast road and dual carriage way) out skirts before turning back. Its impossible to travel all of 5 miles! At night the pubs are full of pretentious twats bragging about how much they won and how they avoid traffic by flying in a helicopter. You cannot go out for a meal in peace (if you are lucky enough to get a table). You cannot go to the shops. You cannot get into Eyre square. You cannot walk down shop street for crowds and vomit. You cannot book a room in a hotel (if you can afford the inflated price). You cannot commute or do the most basic things in any sort of normal way if you are unlucky enough to live in the city. You have arses asking you "did you go racing yet" and getting looked at like you are some sort of cave dwelling troglodyte because you have not been there every night and backed 75 winners.

Balls to the lot of it!

carly_86

OH GET OVER IT! Its only once a year boo woo wah wah

cornbb

I'm west of the river so thankfully I can avoid the worst of it. Imagine it must be a real pain in the arse for anyone living anywhere near Ballybrit, not to mention anyone living in the middle of town.

DeadSkin

I think it's fookin' fantastic.

I work near the racecourse, most folk are off work so feck all traffic in the morning.
On the way home, same story, everyone is at the races.

biko

I'm never in Galway for it, good time to holiday.

Wompa1

I'm not a huge fan either but it is just a week and at least its something different. Even if different is a bunch of Dublin scum bags dressed up and walking around like they own the place...you can put a tie on a pig.....

Anyone notice the crowd going today is very very very young compared to Ladies day in the last few years..They say this is RAG week for adults..tonight might just be a regular RAG week night by the looks of it.

fatguy2k1

Wompa1 - there is a huge amount of young lads (17ish) and kitted out to go to the races. Suits, shoes, ties, gelled back hair (with highlights and mullety bit at the end) it was weird. with any luck they will all by tucked up in bed/drink coma by 8-9pm when all the real fun in quay street starts.

i dont go racing but i do love the atmosphere around town. it's a big party with feck all hassel (never seen any). traffic is heavy - but i'm with in walking distance of work and town so i get some fresh air for that week!

irishvamp90

I have agree the amount of college people 17 to 21 heading up from limerick is mad the last 2 years,before when you heard galway races you would have thought adults,now its like rag week for bored students during the summer,guess J1's must be down they head there,even in Ballybunion Kerry monday madness is like a messy student night now

spurscormac

Who's giving out about the helicopters?

I work just up the road from the racecourse, and the skies are empty compared to previous years.
I've only seen 3 in total so far this week. including 1 at about 9pm when I was taking the dog for a walk yesterday - not sure that could be counted as part of the racing fraternity.

Get over it, its a pain in the arse if you live out that side of town, but you choose to live there so it comes with the territory.

Take the bus for the bus lane.

Can't say I have noticed the races much other than friends coming back to town for a couple of nights.

Wompa1

spurscormac wrote: »

Who's giving out about the helicopters?

I work just up the road from the racecourse, and the skies are empty compared to previous years.
I've only seen 3 in total so far this week. including 1 at about 9pm when I was taking the dog for a walk yesterday - not sure that could be counted as part of the racing fraternity.

Get over it, its a pain in the arse if you live out that side of town, but you choose to live there so it comes with the territory.

I live close to the city and had to walk to work this evening but meh...your right about the helicopters. I'm working right by the race track too and its's nothing compared to 2 years ago or before then

cornbb

I've seen at least half a dozen choppers outside me window since this morning...

ScumLord

Fozzie Bear wrote: »

You cannot book a room in a hotel (if you can afford the inflated price).

Why would a local want to? Are all these things you'd do on a daily basis or are you just upset you can't do them even though you wouldn't normally do them anyway?

pleasant Co.

Don't mind at all, I quite enjoy seeing all the people wandering around our little city. Great to see the races are attracting young blood as well as old, older.

I can't afford to go to the races myself really, it's a luxury i'm not willing to splash out on, but I do like that it's happening regardless.

hoody

Fozzie Bear wrote: »

Am I alone in dispising the Galway Race week? I do my best every year to be gone for this week but I could not this year. Just tried to drive into town from Oranmore. I spent over an hour sitting in traffic and managed to get as far as Ballybrit and Renmores (tried coast road and dual carriage way) out skirts before turning back. Its impossible to travel all of 5 miles! At night the pubs are full of pretentious twats bragging about how much they won and how they avoid traffic by flying in a helicopter. You cannot go out for a meal in peace (if you are lucky enough to get a table). You cannot go to the shops. You cannot get into Eyre square. You cannot walk down shop street for crowds and vomit. You cannot book a room in a hotel (if you can afford the inflated price). You cannot commute or do the most basic things in any sort of normal way if you are unlucky enough to live in the city. You have arses asking you "did you go racing yet" and getting looked at like you are some sort of cave dwelling troglodyte because you have not been there every night and backed 75 winners.

Balls to the lot of it!

So DID you go racing yet, sounds like you're missing out :pac:

Gadfly

Never liked race week and in fact I think a lot of natives don't like it either.

Fozzie Bear

hoody wrote: »

So DID you go racing yet, sounds like you're missing out :pac:

ScumLord wrote: »

Why would a local want to?

Was trying to book a room for friends in an emergency situation.

ScumLord wrote: »

Are all these things you'd do on a daily basis or are you just upset you can't do them even though you wouldn't normally do them anyway?

Meh, some on a daily basis yes others obviously not, but I'm venting too. Really needed to get into town this morning but could not. P!ssed off with that among other things listed above.

And boll0x to the excuse its only for a week. So what if its only for a week? Its still a royal pain in my a$$ regardless of it being just for an hour, day, week, month or year.

Let me say again, Balls to the lot of it!

I remember my granny talking about watching cartloads of cabbages going to the racecourse when she was young.

It will be around for a good while yet so you can accept it, embrace it or avoid it.

Kazooie

DeadSkin wrote: »

I think it's fookin' fantastic.

I work near the racecourse, most folk are off work so feck all traffic in the morning.
On the way home, same story, everyone is at the races.

Yup, i have to agree. Work behind the racecource and it's the easiest week of the year to get to and from work.

Wompa1

Kazooie wrote: »

Yup, i have to agree. Work behind the racecource and it's the easiest week of the year to get to and from work.

Working evenings this week so it's a bit of a pain for me but meh...one thing though I'd say is that people working in shops and places in town seem very grumpy this week.

Also I had a few things to do this week that I couldn't because places I needed or people I was dealing with were closed or off. But I don't care too much...just trying to say that it does have some affect on natives daily business. On the upside the revenue office seemed to be open regular hours this year...sign of the times!

padi89

Fozzie Bear wrote: »

Am I alone in dispising the Galway Race week? I do my best every year to be gone for this week but I could not this year. Just tried to drive into town from Oranmore. I spent over an hour sitting in traffic and managed to get as far as Ballybrit and Renmores (tried coast road and dual carriage way) out skirts before turning back. Its impossible to travel all of 5 miles! At night the pubs are full of pretentious twats bragging about how much they won and how they avoid traffic by flying in a helicopter. You cannot go out for a meal in peace (if you are lucky enough to get a table). You cannot go to the shops. You cannot get into Eyre square. You cannot walk down shop street for crowds and vomit. You cannot book a room in a hotel (if you can afford the inflated price). You cannot commute or do the most basic things in any sort of normal way if you are unlucky enough to live in the city. You have arses asking you "did you go racing yet" and getting looked at like you are some sort of cave dwelling troglodyte because you have not been there every night and backed 75 winners.

Balls to the lot of it!

Some like it some hate it, that's always been the case.

You tried to drive into town on the well know annual busiest day of the year and right around the time of day too that people start arriving?Sorry but LOL.
There are some bell ends around alright but they're in the minority.An even smaller minority is the people that actually win at the races, i've yet to hear anyone bragging pub or outside.Likewise the helicopter crowd will have either flow home or back to the hotels once again not bragging in pubs.
Never had a problem getting a meal and that would also include arriving in town on the Thursday evening, you may not have your preference but that's to be expected.
Where you think you can't go to the shops or the square from i don't know because that's bull.
You can walk down Shop St no problem but Quay St would be difficult, as for the vomit that's more crap your ranting.
Lived off the square and commuted to Ballybane for work for 3 years and never had any issues so once again your talking ****e saying you can't do the basic things.
Randomers are coming up out of the blue and asking you if you've gone racing?
In all fairness i've never read such a generalized rant in all my life.

padi89

Wompa1 wrote: »

Anyone notice the crowd going today is very very very young compared to Ladies day in the last few years..

Was in town earlier, couldn't believe how young the crowd was, don't think iv'e aged that much since last year?

Wompa1

padi89 wrote: »

Was in town earlier, couldn't believe how young the crowd was, don't think iv'e aged that much since last year?

It's not just us either, my boss said the same thing. It's like their going to their confirmations or something...weird!

irishvamp90

You see the summer is boring for students 3 months off so it has become a session the last 2 years with the younger crowd,no part time jobs to go to,go out on the cheap and add to that the less numbers going to j1 and abroad for holidays

Chris_533976

Did anyone else see the RTE report and get annoyed by the girl chewing and chewing and chewing in the background?

rightso

Gadfly wrote: »

Never liked race week and in fact I think a lot of natives don't like it either.

True, same way a lot of us don't give a toss about a few boats too

From what I gather the number's attending ARE down this year. My guess is the people who are there for the right reasons are enjoying the days with less phonies to tolerate

Wompa1

rightso wrote: »

True, same way a lot of us don't give a toss about a few boats too

From what I gather the number's attending ARE down this year. My guess is the people who are there for the right reasons are enjoying the days with less phonies to tolerate

Or the phonies are the only ones willing to pony up the cash to go for the week and it's more polluted with those types than any other year. My guess would be that the weekend will bring in a bigger crowd than it usually does because people that would gamble for the week will lessen it to a few days and do it on day when they don't give up valuable holiday time.

Plus the builders are on holidays but how many of them are there this year?

sam69

Have to say I'm not a huge fan of the race crowd, and that's putting it mildly.
Ladies day, don't much look like ladies when they're crawling around on their hands and kness at 3.A.M. with half a kebab hanging out of their handbag!

cem

Chris_533976 wrote: »

Did anyone else see the RTE report and get annoyed by the girl chewing and chewing and chewing in the background?

Was that chewing gum? I thought she was chewing the cud!! :pac:

Mrs OBumble

Getting to work has been extra fast every day this week. But tetting a bus home tonight was a pain: got to the stop on Parkmore at 5:10, waited forever-and-then-some for a bus to make it through the traffic (but the sunshine was nice), finally got home (inner city) around 6:30. And that's with a very fast trip between the Western Motors roundabout and town, too.

We've had to move into the spare bedroom (without any windows - usually kept for visitors) 'cos the main one is too noisy.

But I'm very happy with the boost that the races has brought to the temporary employment market. This, and knowing that people are spending with the hospitality businesses, makes up for it IMHO.

diverdriver

Chris_533976 wrote: »

Did anyone else see the RTE report and get annoyed by the girl chewing and chewing and chewing in the background?

Stupid cow, I hope she's suitably embarrassed. You can put a dress on a monkey and it's still a monkey.

tanyaog2007

its only for a week out of a whole year get over it

diverdriver

It feels like a year.

Daragh101

what a load of sh?te....without things such as the galway races there would be never anything to do...it would be the same owld day everyday...

Wompa1

Traffic is going from the Monageisha rounabout to the Radisson at 11:30pm ha ha ha ha ha...looked like it was going all the way back College Rd too

inisboffin

You know the rapture is coming when the Spar has bouncers!:P

Utopia Parkway

fatguy2k1 wrote: »

Wompa1 - there is a huge amount of young lads (17ish) and kitted out to go to the races. Suits, shoes, ties, gelled back hair (with highlights and mullety bit at the end) it was weird.

I was at the races today and there was literally thousands of these little scobies there. Couldn't get over it. Do they all pay in?

Go racing nearly every year but this ladies day especially it seemed a very young crowd out there. Huge difference in the helicopters compared to other year as well. It used to be like Vietnam with one taking off or landing every 5 minutes. Saw no more than one or two total today. Champagne tents were fairly quiet too.

Magalee

rightso wrote: »

True, same way a lot of us don't give a toss about a few boats too

From what I gather the number's attending ARE down this year. My guess is the people who are there for the right reasons are enjoying the days with less phonies to tolerate

I've worked in one of the bars at the racecourse for the last 3 years and the numbers are defo down. Today was good but yesterday was quiet. dunno about it been the right people tho, i reckon i saw at least 20 fake Ids today!

Sponge Bob

Not ladies day any more , young wans day more like .

Once the economy picks up and the chippers and pound shops start hiring staff that is the end of the Galway Races forever .

Des Hynes

If you weren't born here & chose to live here it comes with the turf. Don't like it,piss off!

If you were born here it part of our culture & contributes to who we are.

mika27

Wompa1 wrote: »

Traffic is going from the Monageisha rounabout to the Radisson at 11:30pm ha ha ha ha ha...looked like it was going all the way back College Rd too

Thats cos of them feckin new traffic lights at moneenageisha. What was wrong with the roundabout??

Emmi

Chris_533976 wrote: »

Did anyone else see the RTE report and get annoyed by the girl chewing and chewing and chewing in the background?

Ha ha, saw her too and have to agree with you

the-island-man

Fozzie Bear wrote: »

Am I alone in dispising the Galway Race week? I do my best every year to be gone for this week but I could not this year. Just tried to drive into town from Oranmore. I spent over an hour sitting in traffic and managed to get as far as Ballybrit and Renmores (tried coast road and dual carriage way) out skirts before turning back. Its impossible to travel all of 5 miles! At night the pubs are full of pretentious twats bragging about how much they won and how they avoid traffic by flying in a helicopter. You cannot go out for a meal in peace (if you are lucky enough to get a table). You cannot go to the shops. You cannot get into Eyre square. You cannot walk down shop street for crowds and vomit. You cannot book a room in a hotel (if you can afford the inflated price). You cannot commute or do the most basic things in any sort of normal way if you are unlucky enough to live in the city. You have arses asking you "did you go racing yet" and getting looked at like you are some sort of cave dwelling troglodyte because you have not been there every night and backed 75 winners.

Balls to the lot of it!

I hate it too, its been about eights years since i went and i never go out during race week as the amount of assh**les that come here from around the country and think that they can act like muppets is astounding but i suppose one way to look at it is that like almost everywhere else in the country galways economy has suffered and anything that brings money into our local economy has to be welcomed!

3fullback

the-island-man wrote: »

I hate it too, its been about eights years since i went and i never go out during race week as the amount of assh**les that come here from around the country and think that they can act like muppets is astounding but i suppose one way to look at it is that like almost everywhere else in the country galways economy has suffered and anything that brings money into our local economy has to be welcomed!

ahhhhhhhhhhh your so fookin annoying the lot of ye the races are the best craic to go out and let your hair down , the way i look at it is 40,000 were at the races 20 people on this thread dislike it do the math no one cares about you .

"I say the races should srtrech out for a second week."

the-island-man

3fullback wrote: »

ahhhhhhhhhhh your so fookin annoying the lot of ye the races are the best craic to go out and let your hair down , the way i look at it is 40,000 were at the races 20 people on this thread dislike it do the math no one cares about you .

"I say the races should srtrech out for a second week."

1) If you don't care why are you posting a reply on this thread?
2) If putting up with stupid Dublin pr***s drinking way to much and using galway city as their play pin for the week and pucking all over the place is your definition of "craic" be my guess go right ahead. Personally i prefer the two weeks during the galway arts festival to go out, much more relaxed atmosphere!
3) Your reply makes it sound like you think i'm against the races, i'm not as i said its brilliant to see people coming here spending their money, i just prefer not to take part!

3fullback

the-island-man wrote: »

1) If you don't care why are you posting a reply on this thread?
2) If putting up with stupid Dublin pr***s drinking way to much and using galway city as their play pin for the week and pucking all over the place is your definition of "craic" be my guess go right ahead. Personally i prefer the two weeks during the galway arts festival to go out, much more relaxed atmosphere!
3) Your reply makes it sound like you think i'm against the races, i'm not as i said its brilliant to see people coming here spending their money, i just prefer not to take part!

2 weeks of the arts festival ahahaha

Sponge Bob

Town is full of wet hung over ooompa loompas this morning, they look awful cute in the rain

EJLL

"Are you coming home for the races?"
Reply: Ahhh... no.

Why would I want to witness Galway rammed with people I don't know. I can appreciate why the Races are enjoyable for people who are not from Galway.

I would like to see the festival develop into greater International recognition. I was in Cheltenham for the Gold Cup this year and the racecourse itself was rammed and not too unlike the Galway Races. It had larger grounds and a lot of people dressed in typical Britsh country attire which was cool to see.

People's comments on here about a lot of young 'wans' at the Galway Races is a worry though. That's not a good image. Actually it sounds like the Races during the 80's.

JohnCleary

Have to say I was never a fan of the races - gambling/horses just don't appeal to me, but I ended up going out at least 1 day every year. Got tickets given to me for yesterday&today so I sucked it up and decided to go out yesterday - wow! Had a brilliant day.

Cheeky hip flask of JD and thanks to Justmary's tip got the 9 bus out there - such craic! There was a mix of people going racing and people just trying to get home - we had mighty craic on the bus and everyone had a sing song (Reminder that this was about 2pm :P). Decided to put on a random bet from a tip on another thread and it won :eek: I was like

Accross to the Clayton after because we were starving. €30 for a buffet - great if you're starving but I just wanted a nibble. Felt a bit ripped off but it was my choice to pay for it so feckit. Talked to a load of strangers out there, no boasting going on and everyone just having the craic.

Taxi into town from the Clayton - the fella only charged us €12 to bring us to Woodquay (2 of us) - thought it was good value (we'd just missed the bus)

Quay St. was hopping last night. I didn't see any puking or fighting or any 'Did you go racing?' questions - just everyone having a ball

Overall yesterday was great fun and I have to say that it left a positive impression on me. I used to nearly begrudge the races because of the perception of the sh1te it brought with it but I was wrong.... going out again today :D

padraig71

Worst week of the year in Galway, without a doubt. As a musician it's a time of year I dread, despite the extra gigs available. I work on Quay Street throughout the year and the race week crowds are always the worst. The event seems to be an excuse for antisocial and loutish behaviour (I can't count the number of people I saw pissing in the street last night as I was trying to get home from work); I think the Arts Festival brings a much nicer crowd to the city in general.

padi89

I found town strange last night, none of the usual buzz or atmosphere about the place at all.