Some are lucky on horses, while others are lucky in love. One such couple are Craig Devenny and Ruby O’Reilly Duff, who met at the Galway Races three years ago.
“We just love the buzz of it,” says Devenny.
“Every year since we have made a tradition to keep coming to mark our anniversary.”
“Get off Tinder,” he advises others looking for love. “You have to come to the Galway Races.”
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O’Reilly Duff made her own outfit, having bought a sewing machine two weeks ago.
“I have grown up with horses all my life so I wanted to add some of the rosettes myself. I got the material from charity shops. I wanted to recycle materials instead of going out to buy something new.”
Gillian Duggan, a headpiece designer living in Galway, also sports a home-made outfit for Ladies’ Day on Thursday.
“I actually designed this headpiece for the 150th anniversary of the Galway races [in 2019]. They kindly let me use their logo.”
Having originally designed the piece for a friend, the Mayo woman “decided to get a go out of it myself”.
Some attendees make their own outfits, others commission pieces for the Met Gala of Galway fashion.
Eva Hayes Morrissey from Limerick, who has been attending for more than 25 years, opted for a custom couture design from Geraldine O’Meara.
“I designed it and Geraldine made it for me. It’s in a Victorian style. Caithriona King made the headpiece to match using the same olive fabric.”
The occasion merits the handmade outfit, she says, as the atmosphere in Ballybrit is “just electric”.
What Hayes Morrissey enjoys most is “the craic, the nights out after, the getting ready, and the hangovers. Everything. We wouldn’t miss it.”
Áine Malone, wearing an Ella May dress and a Michelle Kearns headpiece, says she has “as much chance of winning the lotto” as the €10,000 cash prize for Best Dressed on Thursday, but she would throw her hat in the ring anyway.
Best Hat winner Breda Butler from Co Tipperary, wearing a headpiece by Michelle Kearns, is delighted to be taking home another trophy for her home county, after their All-Ireland Hurling win. The county is “on a double”, she says.
Travelling from Thurles is “an annual event” and “the style is phenomenal”, adds Butler.
Megan Cunniss bagged the coveted Best Dressed title, wearing a hat from Newry brand Millinery by Mairéad.
She styled the headpiece at the last minute with a black bow made from a bedsheet, along with a clutch hired from Mála Hire, lacy black gloves and black-and-white heels from Zara.
Cunniss won the favour of the judges – stylist Mandy Maher, entrepreneur Lisa McGowan and Niamh Ryan of Ella & Jo cosmetics – with her monochrome ensemble.
The Galway native is on a winning streak, having also won Dundalk Races Ladies’ Day a few weeks ago.
“I actually thought that would go against me,” she says.
Attending her first Ladies’ Day in her home county, she says: “Galway women are so stylish. They love putting outfits together, so it’s hard to compete in Galway.”
When it comes to the €10,000 cash prize, she has no plans. “God, I haven’t thought that far ahead.”
