Horse Racing Ireland has confirmed the full National Hunt programme for the months of June and July, as well as those meetings scheduled for the August bank holiday weekend.

Irish racing returns behind closed doors on the Flat at Naas on 8 June, with strict new HRI protocols in place.

The first National Hunt fixture will take place at Limerick on Monday, 22 June.

The programme features jump-only meetings to minimise the number of people working at the racecourse.

It features 24 National Hunt meetings at 12 racecourses.

Kilbeggan will join the roster for the first time on Friday, 29 June, with Killarney and Downpatrick racing on Tuesday, 7 July and Wednesday, 15 July.

Tramore hosts the first of its meetings on Saturday, 18 July.

Significant changes have been made to the traditional race programme at the Galway Races, but the Galway Plate and Galway Hurdle will be run on the Wednesday and Thursday of the meeting as normal, with a Listed Novice Hurdle and a Grade Three Novice Chase featuring on the respective cards.

Also maintained in the revised National Hunt programme are the Grade Three Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary on 26 June and the Grade Three An Riocht Chase and Grade B Bourn Vincent Handicap Chase at Killarney on 7 July.

The Fast Shipping Handicap Hurdle at Bellewstown on 4 July and the Midlands National at Kilbeggan on 10 July will be other opportunities prior to Galway.

HRI's Shane Doyle said: "Most cards have been programmed with the possibility of a divide included to respond as effectively as possible to the demands of the horse population and give additional opportunities in the areas of highest demand.

"The quality of horses running through the summer programme, even outside the Galway festival, continues to rise, with the likes of Ballyoisin, Darver Star, Peregrine Run and Ravenhill appearing regularly last year.

"I am sure we can look forward to some top action when National Hunt racing gets back underway.

"Horse Racing Ireland will publish the full Flat programme up to the conclusion of the Galway festival late next week.

There will be live television coverage of Irish racing on RTÉ on eight of the first 20 days following the resumption.

RTÉ will broadcast the first Classics of the Flat racing season at the Curragh, with the Irish 2,000 Guineas on 12 June and the Irish 1,000 Guineas on 13 June.

As ever, RTÉ will cover the Irish Derby weekend and the Irish Oaks, and in addition will broadcast new hour-long evening programmes on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player every weekend, with 10 extra meetings confirmed up to mid-July.

The new programmes will run from 7-8pm on Friday evenings and 5-6pm on Saturdays and Sundays, and will have two live races with previews and analysis, interviews from the track, and replays from action earlier on the cards. 

RTÉ Racing in June on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player 
Friday 12 June: Curragh (Irish 2000 Guineas)
Saturday 13 June: Curragh (Irish 1000 Guineas)
Friday 19 June: Gowran Park 
Saturday 20 June: Naas
Sunday 21 June: Leopardstown
Friday 26 June: Curragh
Saturday 27 June: Curragh (Irish Derby)
Sunday 28 June: Curragh