Dundalk Racecourse is Ireland’s first floodlit all-weather horse and greyhound racing facility.

The tradition of racing at Dundalk Racecourse goes back over 100 years. Horseracing began in 1889 and greyhound racing in 1930. By the late 1990’s, however, the track was in need of repair, and horseracing was soon put on hold. A grant from the Board of Horse Racing Ireland in 2005 made redevelopment of the racecourse possible, and this historic track was transformed into one of the most modern entertainment facilities in Ireland.

After the €11.5 million redevelopment project, Dundalk Racecourse now boasts itself as Ireland’s first all-weather track, first floodlit track, and first combined horse and greyhound racing facility. On September 27, 2007, Dundalk Racecourse made history as the site of the first night horse race in Ireland.

The project at Dundalk represents just the beginning of a significant investment in horseracing in Ireland. The Racecourse Capital Development Fund has plans to allocate over €110 million to racecourse projects in coming years. Dundalk Racecourse is expected to stand as a model for future lit tracks in the rest of Ireland.

No more dark horses
Six hundred fifty-four Musco Green Generation™ luminaires bring the excitement of night racing to Ireland with the brightest light levels of any horse track lit by Musco. The light levels are ideal for both horse and greyhound racing and will allow for televised viewing of the night events. Musco’s Smart Lamp™ technology guarantees that the light levels will remain constant through a series of timed power adjustments. Custom built 2,000-watt incandescent luminaires are dedicated to illuminating a narrow strip at the finish line. This allows the judges to make precise evaluation of close finishes.

Dundalk represents Musco’s largest Light-Structure Green™ horse track project, offering a savings of €675,000 in operating costs over 10 years compared to the same light levels provided by prior-technology sports-lighting systems. Musco’s 10/10 warranty program will cover all parts and labor on the track’s system for 10 years and includes one group relamp at the end of rated lamp life, at no additional cost to the owners.

Lighting meets unique needs
Each sports-lighting project comes with its own unique challenges. At Dundalk Racecourse, the team adjusted pole locations in order to get lighting on the portion of track covered by the overhanging grandstand roof without casting shadows that might spook horses. They installed the lighting amid a 6-week period of hard rain, when it was difficult at times to even see other team members at the installation site. To accommodate the racecourse’s marshy seaside location, the team had special concrete bases cut to support the poles.