Rain can’t dampen spirits on day one of Galway races

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.

It’s a marathon not a sprint in the west. You don’t just have to survive the racecourse, you then have to survive the city in full party mode. It’s not easy but someone has to do it.

Luckily, this journalist has been doing it year in, year out. You learn some tips along the way but the main advice is to prepare for inclement weather.