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For a racing enthusiast, what could be more fun than travelling around the beautiful Emerald Isle visiting all of the racecourses and interacting with the amazingly friendly Irish people!
The book though is of interest not just to mad racing folk but to anyone interested in travel and particularly visiting the stunning Irish countryside and enjoying a much quieter pace of life than on the British side of the Irish Sea.
There is a chapter for each racecourse giving information about its history and geographical location. Some racecourses are not easy to find despite their size and there are suggestions as to the best way to get there and even on more mundane issues such as parking. The best features of each course are highlighted along with the occasional disappointing aspect. Details of race meetings attended at each are described in some detail and the overall experience is evaluated.
Travelling around Ireland is a big part of the book with the amusing events that occur. Various attractions/places of interest near racecourses are mentioned so the trip to Ireland has quite a bit more to offer than just racing. The friendliness of the Irish people is a recurring theme along with the lovely welcome they always give you at pubs, restaurants, hotels and coffee shops.
In summary, the book confirms that racing in Ireland is great fun or as the Irish say good craic and it seems many racing aficionados this side of the Irish Sea are totally oblivious of this and need to go to Ireland to find out just what they are missing.
About the author
David Hawkins is a retired accountant living in East Sussex who has visited all of the racecourses in the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic as well as a number in France and some others elsewhere in the world. In retirement, he continues to go to the races, play golf, and follow other sports including watching Sussex play cricket, having been a member for over 50 years. He also likes to spend time with his 2 grandsons and is a regular visitor to his local David Lloyd gym. He is keen to travel around but prefers to use trains rather than aeroplanes if he possibly can!
