Those present at the official launch of the 51st Roscommon Industrial and Agricultural Show at Hannon’s Hotel on Thursday night last heard how the event highlights the ‘very best the local agricultural sector has to offer’.
This year’s show takes place at Hannon’s field on the Athlone Road this Saturday from 8 am and will once again boasts some of the best horse and cattle classes in the country, according to local organisers.
Welcoming those to Hannon’s Hotel last Thursday, Show President Christy Tully said the event had survived many challenges over the past five decades and “stood the test of time”.
“This would not have been possible without our hard-working committees,” he said.
“There would be no show without the help of our volunteers, sponsors, and exhibitors”.
Mr Tully thanked the Hannon family for the use of the show grounds and hotel, describing the venue as “the best place for a show”.
“I would also like to wish our chairman Damien Hannon and the committee all the best this Saturday, and I hope for a fine day,” he added.
Chairperson Damien Hannon said the event highlighted “the best our agricultural sector has to offer” but that the committee face 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.
He thanked the committee for the invitation and said it was great to see all the hard work that went into the event.
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.
