WHEN I’m told constantly how important horse racing is to the average Irish citizen, it only made me want to experience that atmosphere more.

Last week I had the opportunity to sample it myself when going to Leopardstown Racecourse. The day didn’t start too promising, as we were all greeted by the famous Irish rain.

However, as I started my early lap around the enclosures, I was greeted by the majestic sight of the sun peeking through the parting cloud cover along with the smell of fresh-grilled burgers and the live music just a few yards away.

Now, we were ready for racing.

“Ireland produces the second-most thoroughbreds behind the US,” Leopardstown’s racing operations manager Jane Hedley told me.

The close connection between the people and thoroughbred racing was apparent. With each race came raucous cheers from the crowd, spectators rising to their feet as the horses neared the finish line.

On Thursdays during the summer, Leopardstown, sponsored by Bulmer’s, hosts a concert series after the races conclude.

“A lot of young people come in, especially last week when Lyra, an Irish popstar, performed, and a lot of them were excited about that,” Aoife McLaughlin, a BoyleSports representative working at the races, said.

McLaughlin proved right. Much of the crowd appeared to be younger than might have been expected and much of that same crowd stayed late for this week’s performance, Irish EDM group Chasing Abbey.

Even before the races started, racegoers could be seen enjoying live music in the main enclosure while they got themselves started with cold pints and basked in the sunshine.

I noticed there was no dress code - most were casually dressed while some - ladies in particular - had glammed up.

As students, predominantly from the west coast of the United States, many of the group I came with have never been to a racetrack at all or have little to nothing to compare this experience to.

“I really enjoy the environment, and it’s nicer than the races I’ve been to in Las Vegas,” McKenna Rowland said — she is a native of America’s gambling capital and a student at the University of Oregon.

I started walking laps around the racecourse grounds, and one thing I noticed was the discourse around the contentious decision for Leopardstown to increase the Thursday ticket price to €35 per person.

Many of the comments I overheard described the beer pricing as another point of contention for much of the regular crowd.

“It’s too dear,” Leopardstown member Dave Lenehan said, “You’re coming in and paying €7.40 for a drink when you get here…if you’re coming with a wife or girlfriend or a family, you’re paying 70 quid before you get a drink.”

That being said, the freedom to walk the grounds given by a standard entry ticket quickly became the highlight for me.

The wide-open space inside the main entrance behind the grandstand was the ultimate spot to hang out while watching the horses and jockeys trot out from the stables only an arm’s length away.

“No course I’ve been to feels this nice. Everything about this place feels professional,” Sam Costello, an Oregon native and student at the University of Oregon as well.

The sunny, vibrant concourse also provided eye-opening conversations with Leopardstown regulars that had a lot to say.

While discussing their picks for the day or even their current whereabouts in life, I found that every single person I approached shed light on what I needed to look out for in the races.

From Bedtime Story — the horse that received the most excitement heading into Thursday — to where I should be betting my money, the experts wanted to make sure I fell in love with Irish racing by the end of the day.

Overall, my introduction to Irish horse racing showed me the passion that people in Ireland have for things that are uniquely Irish.

Everyone I spoke to, when asked about Irish racing specifically, mentioned that horse racing everywhere would be nothing without Irish horses.

While I haven’t consumed all that much racing in America, I now want to start going as soon as I touch back down in the States.

I just hope it provides a small fraction of the incredible experience of Leopardstown.