Spectator Sports

Gaelic Sports

If your schedule permits, try to get to a Gaelic football or hurling match -- the only indigenously Irish games and two of the fastest-moving sports in the world. Gaelic football is vaguely a cross between soccer and American football; you can move the ball with either your hands or feet. Hurling is a lightning-speed game in which 30 men use heavy sticks to fling a hard leather ball called a sliotar -- think field hockey meets lacrosse. Both amateur sports are played every weekend throughout the summer at various local fields, culminating in September with the All-Ireland Finals, the Irish version of the Super Bowl. For schedules and admission fees, phone the Gaelic Athletic Association, Croke Park, Jones Road, Dublin 3 (tel. 01/836-3222; www.gaa.ie).

Greyhound Racing

Races are held throughout the year at Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium, Southlotts Road, Dublin 4 (tel. 01/668-3502), and Harold's Cross Stadium, 151 Harold's Cross Rd., Dublin 6 (tel. 01/497-1081). For a complete schedule and details for races throughout Ireland, contact Bord na gCon (the Greyhound Board), Limerick (tel. 061/316788; www.igb.ie).

Horse Racing

The closest racecourse to the city center is the Leopardstown Race Course, off the Stillorgan road (N11), Foxrock, Dublin 18 (tel. 01/289-0500; www.leopardstown.com). This modern facility with all-weather, glass-enclosed spectator stands is 9.7km (6 miles) south of the city center. Racing meets -- mainly steeplechases, but also a few flats -- are scheduled throughout the year, two or three times a month.

Polo

With the Dublin Mountains as a backdrop, polo is played from May to mid-September on the green fields of Phoenix Park, on Dublin's west side. Matches take place on Wednesday evenings and Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Admission is free. For full details, contact the All Ireland Polo Club, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8 (tel. 01/677-6248), or check the sports pages of the newspapers.