Opportunity can knock at the strangest of times, writes Elaine Loughlin

Everything was going grand for Pamela Uba as Ladies Day at the Galway Races dawned.

The Irish economy and those with responsibility for managing it find themselves in a very strange place at the moment.

Early Doors can set the tone for a good day for the green, white and gold colours of owner JP McManus, by taking the Guinness Beginners’ Chase which gets Galway Hurdle day underway at 2pm.

For the third time in four years, Gordon Elliott saddled the winner of the thetote.com Galway Plate. After Donagh Meyler and Lord Scoundrel in 2016 and Mark Enright and Clarcam 12 months ago, this time it was Luke Dempsey in the saddle, winning aboard Borice.

The deal is until July next year.

Paul Nicholls is doubly represented intoday’s feature, the thetote.com Galway Plate, and the leading British trainer, who won this race in 2008 with the Ruby Walsh-ridden Oslot, can take the €177,000 winner’s prize with the JP McManus-owned Modus.

Only five went to post for the Colm Quinn BMW Listed Novice Hurdle which opened the card on day two of the Galway Festival, and yet only a quarter of a point separated the first three in the betting.

In 2018, Aidan O’Brien won the Colm Quinn BMW Irish EBF Fillies’ Maiden with subsequent dual 1000 Guineas winner Hermosa and it will be no surprise if Petite Mustique, who gave him back to back wins in the race with a facile success yesterday, emulates her illustrious stablemate.

So that’s nearly Tuesday wrapped up. Here’s some of the stories we published on irishexaminer.com today which we hope will help you make sense of it all this evening.

Looking ahead to the thetote.com Galway Plate and the Guinness Galway Hurdle – the twin features of this week’s Galway festival – Ruby Walsh talks to racing correspondent Tommy Lyons.

The Galway Races celebrates 150 years as Ireland’s and one of Europe’s largest racing festivals next week, with bumper crowds expected for the celebrations.

Whether it's a wedding, christening, communion, confirmation, or you're heading to the Galway Races this July, there's no doubt that 'special occasion' season is upon us.

In the large room upstairs in Galway football’s training centre in Loughgeorge, there used to be a plaque of Leonardo Da Vinci’s

At the end of the match yesterday, I shook hands with Dave Punch, the former Limerick hurler, who works for RTÉ. He asked me if I saw the attendance. I did, I said — 71,000. Dave corrected me. ‘No, Dalo, 71,073.’

At the end of the match yesterday, I shook hands with Dave Punch, the former Limerick hurler, who works for RTÉ. He asked me if I saw the attendance. I did, I said — 71,000. Dave corrected me. ‘No, Dalo, 71,073.’ 

THIS heat! The world is on its head, writes Colm O’Regan.

An Garda Síochána was paid more than €1.1m to police 10 of the country’s biggest events last year — with Electric Picnic topping the charts, figures reveal.

Like all the best Irish antiquarian sites, there’s very little brouhaha about it on the road, writes Colm O’Regan.

The air has been thick with accusations of misogyny and antisemitism over recent days. 

Almost 20,000 punters and one president packed out Ballybrit for the big race of the week — the Galway Plate.

RTÉ’s top 10 highest-paid presenters earned almost €3m between them in 2015.

A Galway Councillor has described the move by the owner of Michelin-starred restaurant Aniar to close its doors during race week as a "rattle in a pram effort".

Galway is often the best place to be but for one week of the year it's the only place to be.

Some of the best events for all the family this week, compiled by Colette Keane

What’s it like to play in a Galway-Mayo championship match? I can only speak from a Galway point of view and more specifically my experiences of playing against the auld enemy. It’s the only game of the year you just can’t afford to lose, writes John Divilly.

One third of Irish hotels have changed owners since 2011, including four out of five in Cork City, generating almost €2.5bn in sales, according to a study by property consultants Savills Ireland.

It was the day space age met planet ploughing on the tillage fields of Scraggan.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today

It’s ladies day at the Galway Races and as usual women across the country have embraced the chance to dress up in finery.

The gods sent the sun yesterday — well, kind of — as the real racing business of the week arrived: the Galway Plate.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

The week of the Galway Races is upon us and with it comes roguish antics and plenty of style.

Pre-tax profits at Skeffington Arms Hotel in Galway last year declined by 35% to €519,435.

Stomachs are lined, wallets are bulging, and it’s going to rain for the week. It can only mean one thing — the Galway Races have arrived.

Maura and Daithi returned to our screens this week. Majorie Brennan went behind the scenes at RTÉ Cork to see just what it takes to get a two-hour live show to air each day.

If hurling is your thing, All-Irelands measure life.