Nina Carberry and Yvonne Connolly step out in style at Punchestown Festival

The Festival, which takes place at Punchestown Racecourse, Naas, Co. Kildare, has returned for the first time since 2019 after the 2020 and 2021 Festivals were postponed due to the pandemic.

Running from Tuesday 26th to Saturday 30th April 2022, the Punchestown Festival is officially back with a bang as up to 15,000 people attended the races on Tuesday with more expected to visit over the next few days.

Some of Ireland’s most stylish celebrities showed up to the races on Wednesday, including Ronan Keating’s ex-wife Yvonne Connolly, who had her long-term boyfriend John Conroy by her side all day.

Yvonne (48) stunned in a pink trench coat over a black dress paired with a black clutch and a matching black headband while her blonde locks were pinned in an up do.

Meanwhile, retired National Hunt jockey and Dancing With The Stars 2022 winner Nina Carberry rocked up in white suit trousers and a mint green blazer for the occasion.

She said it was “nice that the atmosphere is back” at the races and after the success of the Fairyhouse festival she was keen to see how the week would turn out at Punchestown.

On the recent rumours that her professional dance partner, Pasquale la Rocca, is being lined up for BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing to replace Aljaz Skorjanec, she revealed that he had texted her about the speculation saying he didn’t know what was happening.

“He said, ‘Thank you, partner. This morning it’s all over the papers, who knows.’”

She said she would love to see him on the BBC hit show.

“I’d love to. Of course I would. I’d be like, ‘I danced with him.’”

Nina and Pasquale were awarded the Glitterball trophy after winning the 2022 series of Dancing With The Stars last month.

The couple, who were the bookies favourite to win, walked away with the top prize following a public vote and beat out singer Erica Cody, rugby 7s star Jordan Conroy, and Paralympian Ellen Keane for the top spot.