The rescheduled Roscommon Industrial & Agricultural Show will go ahead this Saturday (September 16th) after being postponed from its original date (August 19th) due to poor weather conditions.
Speaking at the official launch of the 51st show in Hannon’s Hotel last month, Show President Christy Tully said the event had endured many challenges over the past five decades but had “stood the test of time”.
“This would not have been possible without our hard-working committees. There would be no show without the help of our volunteers, sponsors, and exhibitors,” he said.
The show will take place at Hannon’s Field on the Athlone Road and Mr Tully thanked the Hannon family for the use of the land and the hotel, describing the venue as “the best place for a show”.
Chairperson Damien Hannon said the event highlighted “the best our agricultural sector has to offer” but added that the committee faces greater challenges each year to keep the show on the road.
“Year after year, the event becomes a greater challenge for us as the general costs rise and health and safety tightens,” he said, before paying tribute to the show committee for “putting their shoulders to the wheel” to make it happen.
Mr Hannon thanked the show’s many generous sponsors and other backers including: the Irish Shows Association; Department of Rural and Community Development; Department of Agriculture; Horse Sport Ireland; Local Enterprise Board; and Roscommon County Council.
The chairperson added that without the show’s numerous sponsors, the event wouldn’t survive each year.
Guest of Honour on the night was Roscommon football captain Brian Stack, who travelled from Dublin to attend the launch.
“Local events such as the Roscommon Industrial & Agricultural Show are very important. We know the support everyone in Roscommon gives us on the football pitch from January to July each year so any chance we get to give something back we’ll always take it,” he said.
National Secretary of the Irish Shows Association, Jim Harrison, was also present on the night.
Mr Harrison highlighted the importance of youth involvement, saying he was delighted to see the amount of classes on offer for younger participants.
He added that the show was an important social outlet for many people in rural areas and that State funding was vital in keeping the events going nationwide.
Mr Harrison said sustainability was “the way to go” and that shows would soon feature ‘sustainability villages’ more prominently.
He also encouraged the Roscommon committee to invite the likes of Bord Bia, Teagasc and the Department of Agriculture to attend the event.
