Wherever you are in Ireland, you’re never far from a race meeting. And if you want to understand one of the country’s great passions, get yourself to one of 300 race days at one of the 27 racecourses around the country – you’ll soon be punting and partying with the best of them.

Irish Racing has a personality and atmosphere not found anywhere else in the world. This is especially true at the racing festivals which are the highlights of the racing season from Easter through to December.

The Festival season starts in style with the Easter’s Irish Grand National Festival at Fairyhouse Racecourse, just outside Dublin. Munster hosts its own exciting Easter Festival in the heart of Steeplechasing country at Cork Racecourse in Mallow. The crowds who throng these meetings every year move on just two weeks later to the Irish National Hunt Festival at Punchestown, in Co.Kildare, the Thoroughbred County. This is Ireland’s Cheltenham and like its Cotswold’s counterpart its loyal followers spend a year in wistful anticipation of the next festival as soon as this one has ended.

One of the most striking features to be seen on arrival at the course is the Parade Ring. Here the runners and their connections gather prior to each race and provide the public with a chance to see their heroes, both equine and human.

Once the jockeys have mounted their horses, the runners leave the Parade Ring and make their way to the track. After the race, the winner and the placed horses return to the Parade Ring prior to the presentations being made. Here, one can see the winning connections celebrate their victory.

Prior to the presentation going ahead, both the judge and stewards, representatives of the Turf Club, need to be satisfied that the finishing positions are correct and that the race has been run in accordance with the Rules of Racing.

The judge is positioned directly in line with the finishing post during a race and it is his responsibility to verify the finishing positions, the distances between the finishers and the winning time. In the event of a tight finish, the judge will use a photo which is taken of the finish to separate the horses.

The presentation to the winning connections is made by the sponsor between races in the Parade Ring. The horses then proceed to the saddling stalls adjacent to the Parade Ring. All horses are drug tested by the Turf Club Veterinary Officer after each race.

The jockeys return to the Weigh Room after each race and weigh back in (to verify that they carried the correct weight in the race).

Any jockeys riding in the next race quickly change their colours/silks and weigh out again, usually carrying a different weight for their next ride. This difference in weight is calculated by the Clerk of the Scales, a Turf Club official, who places lead in the jockey's saddlecloth to ensure that he/she carries the correct weight.

Assisting the jockeys during their busy day are the jockeys valets who work in the Weigh Room to make sure the proper colours, equipment etc are ready for each jockey for each race.

There are a number of options from which to choose when betting at the races - SP Betting Shop, Bookmakers, and Tote.

When placing a bet with a bookmaker: tell the bookmaker the name of the horse and the amount you wish to bet and you will be given a ticket as a receipt for your bet and must present this ticket to the bookmaker to collect your winnings after the 'Winner All Right' has been announced. Each bookmaker displays odds on a blackboard and changes these prices according to the movement in the market and the amount of money bet on specific horses. While 'win' bets account for most of the action, 'each way' betting is also available with many of the bookies.

Betting on the Tote is similar to the Lottery. All bets go into a 'pool' and, after an operating deduction, the remainder of the 'pool' is divided by the number of winning units to give a dividend which is declared inclusive of a £1 stake (50p for the Jackpot and Placepot). The Tote offers a wide range of bets - Win, Place, Each Way, Exacta, Trio, Jackpot and Placepot. When placing a bet on the Tote, tell the operator: the type of bet you wish to place, the number of your horse or horses, the amount you wish to bet.

So if your tied of your social life go to your nearest racecourse, in Cork it is Mallow Racecourse and enjoy the spectacle of the parade ring and the weigh room. Feel the tension build in the betting ring as the bookmakers call out the ‘odds’ and compete for your attention before the races begin. Then pick your spot to watch the horse’s race to the finish as the ground rumbles and cheers of the winning punters fill the stands.