What Sports Events Will Take Place in Ireland in 2023?

Rugby

Rugby is one of the most popular sports not only in Ireland but worldwide. Statistics show that there are over 400 million rugby fans worldwide who watch the matches, play, support the sport in some form, or enjoy rugby betting. The Irish national team is currently at the top of the world rankings, and it is certainly a sport you will be keeping a close eye on this year. Let's see what rugby competitions will be held on the territory of the island.

Six Nations Championship

The Six Nations, an annual competition held in February and March between England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, France, and Italy, is undoubtedly one of the most important events on the rugby-union calendar. Wales and England have won this competition 29 times each, while Italy has received the wooden spoon 17 times. Ireland is the favourite to win the 2023 edition of this tournament, but the French will be hoping to keep their trophy. For those interested in a little Six Nations betting, we have a dedicated page to the competition, including Six Nations predictions for the outright winner and individual match winners.

Women’s Six Nations Championship

Like the Men’s eponymous Championship, the Women’s Six Nations is also an international competition that pits the Six Nations teams of Ireland, France, England, Wales, Scotland, and Italy against each other. The competition consists of five rounds held over several consecutive weekends. The first match will be played on March 25 and the last on April 25. Ireland will host two matches: Ireland vs France and Ireland vs England.

United Rugby Championship

Another rugby competition a few matches of which will be played in Ireland is the United Rugby Championship. It is an annual contest between the professional teams of Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Italy, and South Africa. The tournament is divided into 21 rounds, with 18 rounds of regular season play being followed by three rounds of play-offs. The 22nd edition of the 2022-23 United Rugby Championship started on September 26th, 2022, and will end on May 26th, 2023.

Summer Series

These are a series of international matches, for which it is characteristic that the matches are held with an experimental selection of the players in the teams. Also known as the July Tests, this series of matches almost always produces unpredictable results as it brings out rare match-ups. The 2023 Summer Series is expected to start on July 29th and end on August 26th, but the dates have yet to be officially confirmed.

European Rugby Champions Cup

The 2022–23 European Rugby Champions Cup is the ninth edition of this competition involving the top five nations’ teams in the European rugby union and South Africa. The tournament started in December 2022, and the most important part of it, none other than the final, will be held at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on May 20th, 2023.

European Rugby Challenge Cup

This is an annual European competition which is the second-tier contest for teams based behind the European Rugby Champions Cup. The Challenge Cup is organized by the European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR). It covers 18 teams, 17 of which qualify from the three main European leagues: Premiership Rugby, Top 14, and United Rugby Championship. The 2022–23 European Rugby Challenge Cup will be held in Dublin, but no dates have been announced yet.

Golf

Golf is another sport that is revered in Ireland. Statistics show that there are over 400 golf clubs on the Emerald Isle which include one-third of the world's natural links courses and a number of outstanding championship courses in spectacular settings. Over 240,000 golfers from all over the world come to Ireland every year to experience this atmosphere. Let's see what golf betting competitions it will host in 2023.

Women's Irish Open

It is part of the Ladies European Tour and was first held in 1994. However, the 2012 edition was followed by a ten-year hiatus, which lasted until last year when the Women's Irish Open made its long-awaited return and was one of the highlights of the Irish sporting calendar. The competition will start on August 31st and run until September 3rd at Dromoland Castle, County Clare.

Irish Open

The DP World Tour professional tournament has been held at various venues in Ireland since 1927 and is one of the most attended events of this rank. In 2012, a record was even achieved, with around 131,000 people attending the race. The Irish Open will start on September 7th and run until September 10th at The K Club, Straffan.

Darts

Even though darts was only a pub game at first, it gradually gained wide popularity and is currently played internationally, broadcast live, and watched by thousands of fans. This year the Premier League Darts will be held in Ireland with plenty of darts betting sites providing the odds.

Premier League Darts

This darts tournament was launched in 2005. Although it originally started as a two-week competition held in small halls, it is now played on a weekly basis from February to May. The event starts on February 2nd and will run until May 25th. The fourth night of it will be played at the 3Arena, Dublin. The eight players who will participate 2023 Premier League Darts are Chris Dobey, Dimitri Van den Bergh, Jonny Clayton, Michael Smith, Peter Wright, Nathan Aspinall, Michael van Gerwen, and Gerwyn Price. You can find the Premiere League Darts odds by clicking the link.

Horse Racing

Although the roots of horse racing can be traced back to Ancient Greece where chariot races were held during the Olympic Games, equestrian sports are not particularly popular in this part of Europe these days. However, horse racing in Ireland is revered as one of the most popular sports on the Emerald Isle. Every year numerous horse racing betting competitions are held on the territory of the country. We will have a look at the most famous of them.

The Fairyhouse Easter Festival

The Fairyhouse Easter Festival is a thoroughbred horse jump racing meeting held at Fairyhouse Racecourse in County Meath, Ireland. The three-day event is the most popular of its kind because it includes the Irish Grand International, one of the most highly anticipated events in the Irish sporting calendar. This year the Easter Festival will be held on April 8th, 9th and 10th.

Punchestown Festival

This event is one of the highlights in the Irish horse racing sports calendar. It is a jump racing meeting for thoroughbred horses held at Punchestown Racecourse in County Kildare, hence the name of the festival. The five-day meeting is considered the grand finale of the jumping season. The competition will start on April 25th and end on April 29th.

Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival

This festival is commonly known as the Irish Guineas Weekend and is an annual thoroughbred race taking place at the Curragh Racecourse in County Kildare. The Irish 2,000 Guineas were established in 1921, a year before the 1,000 Guineas. Both are for three-year-old horses, the difference being that the second one is only for female horses. From the 26th to the 28th of May you will be able to enjoy the Irish Guineas.

Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Weekend

First held in 1866 and known as the Irish Derby, it is a flat racing meeting for thoroughbred horses hosted by the Curragh Racecourse in County Kildare. The competition lasts three days and features the best of the best in Ireland. As the name of the race suggests, the focus is on the Irish Derby which is the most important of the flat races. This year's edition will start on June 30th and will continue until July 2nd.

Galway Races

This annual Irish horse-racing festival usually starts on the last Monday of July. Ballybrit Racecourse in Galway hosts the races that have been active for 153 years. The Galway Plate, Galway Hurdle, and Ladies' Day are its most important stages. For the one-week period during which the festival takes place each year, there are over 40 races. This year they will start on July 31st and end on August 6th.

Here is a list of the other horse racing events that will be held in Ireland in 2023:

• Grand National Trial Day
• Quevega Mares Hurdle Day
• BobbyJo Chase Day
• Season Opener
• Classic Trials Day
• Newbridge Parishes Day
• Derby Trials Day
• Evening Flat Racing
• Summer in Town
• Brownstown Stakes Day
• Juddmonte Irish Oaks Weekend
• Dublin Horse Show
• Keeneland Phoenix Stakes Day
• Future Champions Day
• Fitzdares Royal Whip Stakes Day
• Round Tower Stakes & Irish Cambridgeshire Handicap Day
• Longines Irish Champions Weekend
• Irish Champions Weekend: Leopardstown
• Irish Champions Weekend: The Curragh
• Laytown Races
• Ballyhane Blenheim Stakes Day
• Return of the Jumps
• Welcome Back Jumps Meeting
• Mid-Week Jumps
• Killavullan Stakes Day
• Lorna Brooke Chase Raceday
• Winter Festival
• Mid-Week Winter Racing
• The Fairyhouse Winter Festival
• John Durkan Memorial Chase Day
• Christmas Party Raceday
• Leopardstown Christmas Festival
• New Year's Eve Countdown

Greyhound Racing

Greyhound racing may not be the most popular sport in the world, but in Ireland it certainly has a special meaning. Proof of this is that there are 17 operating stadiums on the territory of the country. This sport originated from another called coursing, which was a famous hunting technique used by the aristocracy.

Irish Greyhound Derby

First held in 1928, it is the premier greyhound racing contest on the Emerald Isle, although it became an official national derby four years later. The races take place at Shelbourne Park, and the 2023 Irish Greyhound Derby Final will be held earlier in September, on Saturday September 2nd. The Laurels and Leger Finals will return to an earlier date next year, as will the Winter Racing Festival, which will be held on the 1st and 2nd of December next year.

Gaelic Games

The Gaelic games are a family of sports that include six separate sports categories which are Hurling, Gaelic football, Handball, Rounders, Camogie and Ladies Football. Compared to other countries, Gaelic games are popular in Ireland. However, one of them enjoys a much larger fan base, and we will be looking at it in particular. It is none other but Gaelic football.

Gaelic Football

The most popular sport that is part of this group on the island is Gaelic football. It combines elements of soccer, rugby, basketball, American football, and a variety of other sports. It is played on a large pitch, with each team consisting of 15 players.

Leinster Senior Football Championship

It is one of the inter-county Gaelic football championships that have been held every year since 1888. It is one of the sport's biggest tournaments, with winners receiving a prestigious title as well as an automatic place in the All-Ireland Super 8s. There are four stages of the LSFC, the first of which will start on April 9th and the last on May 14th.

Connacht Senior Football Championship

First organized in 1888, it is an annual Gaelic football competition for the inter-county teams of Connacht GAA. Although it is less known than Leinster Championship, it also has a huge fan base famous for its knockout form. If even one loss is allowed, the team is eliminated from the competition. The winner receives the Nestor's cup. This year's edition will start on April 8th and the final will be played on May 7th.

Ulster Senior Football Championship

Like the others, the Ulster Championship was first organized in 1888. It is not only an inter-county but also a cross-border Gaelic football competition in the Irish and British provinces of Ulster, with all 9 counties participating. It is considered to be the most difficult competition to win in this format. The first match this year will be played on April 8th, and the final on May 14th.

Munster Senior Football Championship

The Munster Championship is no exception, and it also made its debut in 1888. It is one of the most competitive championships and therefore it is no wonder that some of the best players come from this province. The Munster winners, like their counterparts from the other provinces, advance directly to the All-Ireland Super 8s. This year's edition will start on April 9th and end on May 7th.

2023 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Since its inception in 1887, it has been the largest inter-county Gaelic tournament. OF the 32 counties of Ireland, 31 take part, but at the expense of this the line-up is supplemented by New York and London. For the second time, the competition will be based on a two-stage system. Those who do not qualify for the Sam Maguire Cup will enter the second-tier competition - the Tailteann Cup. The championship will start on June 17th and will continue until July 23rd, and the grand final will be played on July 30th.

This is the list of major sporting events that will take place in Ireland in 2023. Our Bet in Ireland team makes sure to update the data regularly and you could use this website as a source for more information and sports news related to upcoming events not only in Ireland but all over the world.