Speaking at the official launch of the 51^st 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.

The post Rescheduled Roscommon Agricultural Show takes place this Saturday appeared first on Roscommon People.

Addressing last month’s launch at Hannon’s Hotel, the head of the sheep section, Pat Naughton, said: “The most exciting thing we have this year, and we can thank Cllr Anthony Waldron for it, are the classes for the Roscommon sheep.

“I’m at sheep all my life and I thought the Roscommon sheep were gone, but they are not, thanks to the work of the Roscommon Sheep Breeders’ Association”.

Mr Naughton introduced Longford native, Noel Kiernan, praising him for his work in saving the iconic sheep breed.

He said that this year’s section would feature four classes for the Roscommon Sheep breed, sponsored by Cllr Waldron, and that the committee were delighted to have them.

Mr Kiernan said he had become interested in rare sheep breeds such as the Roscommon breed and that he had travelled by bicycle to Four Roads/Brideswell where he met Willie Dolan.

“Willie pointed out a ewe…I call her Eve now because she was the start of rekindling the breed,” he said.

Mr Kiernan then sourced a ram from Gort, which he called ‘Adam’, and from that union two ram lambs were bred.

“We’re delighted to have categories in the show to show the sheep off to you. They are nice sheep and easy to handle,” he said.

As well as the historic Roscommon Sheep classes, there will also be up to 30 other classes in the section, according to Pat Naughton, including traditional, modern, and continental breeds.

The head of the sheep section also highlighted the young handlers’ class, which was free to enter, and aimed at encouraging younger participants.

“They can bring a pet lamb if they like. If they know a few things about the sheep, they can win a prize. We’ll give everyone a rosette just to encourage them,” he said.

Sticking with the theme of encouraging more participation in the Roscommon Show, Mr Naughton urged others to come forward to help run the event.

“It would be great to see someone else coming on board,” he said.

“If we don’t get younger people (involved in running the various sections), then I don’t know what’s going to happen”.

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Those present at the official launch of the 51^st 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.

The post 51st Roscommon Show this Saturday! appeared first on Roscommon People.

“Local events such as the Roscommon Industrial and 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.

Brian had travelled down from Dublin to be at the launch and said he was very impressed with the hard work that goes in to running the show.

“It’s great to be here to see all the hard work that goes into it,” he said.

“I wouldn’t have known much about it until today. I hope they get the weather now and a big crowd this Saturday”.

Asked about his thoughts on this year’s All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, Brian said Dublin were the deserved winners overall, but there was frustration in the Roscommon camp about how their own campaign ended.

“I thought the final was a very tactical affair but I suppose the weather probably played into that. Dublin were probably the better team on the day,” he said.

“You could say we (Roscommon) were unlucky I suppose but at the end of the day, you make your own luck,” he said, adding that the time had been disappointed with their exit at the preliminary quarter-finals stage.

Brian said it was, however, “nice to bounce back” into the Roscommon club championships which commenced earlier this month.

The post Captain Brian happy to support the show appeared first on Roscommon People.

There are also baking classes and arts and crafts classes for those in primary and post-primary education and photography classes for all ages.

Speaking at the recent launch, Cllr Kathleen Shanagher, a show sponsor and volunteer, encouraged those present to come out and support the event, describing it as “a great day out”.

Admission and entertainment for children is free this Saturday and Cllr Shanagher urged families to “thrown on the Wellingtons” and head along.

Other speakers to offer their support last Thursday included Senator Eugene Murphy, who praised central Government for its support of agricultural shows.

“We shouldn’t underestimate the importance of agricultural shows,” he said.

“These are difficult and challenging times for the farming community with the cost-of-living crisis and the recent weather…but the one thing they always have is hope and despite these challenges they continue to fight on.

“I hope that Saturday is a wonderful day not only for the farming community of Roscommon but also for the wider community as well”.

Cllr Anthony Waldron, who was credited with helping to save the Roscommon Sheep breed earlier in proceedings, paid tribute to the show’s committee, whom he said was “working to make Roscommon a better place”.

Roscommon IFA Chairman Pat Leonard, Gordon Pennick of Roscommon Mart, Ann Marie Beirne, Bank of Ireland, Nicola Featherstone, AIB, and local auctioneer P Burke also offered their support and best wishes ahead of Saturday’s show.

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Those simple six words, ‘Let’s hope for a fine day’, usually uttered in desperate hope rather than any real conviction, were repeated by most speakers present for the official launch of the Roscommon Industrial and Agricultural Show.

Sadly, last year’s show was hit by a deluge of rain which started in the early morning and continued right into the afternoon. The weather can make or break these events in terms of enjoyment, but despite the horrendous conditions 12 months ago, reports were still very positive from both visitors and participants alike.

That being said, the past year has seen members of the local farming community forced to contend with a number of challenges, from rising fuel and input costs, the cost-of-living crisis, and, yes, even high levels of rainfall.

Surely then, those organising, participating in and visiting this Saturday’s Roscommon Show deserve a break from the weather Gods? So yes, let’s indeed hope for ‘a fine day’ this Saturday at Hannon’s Field, but maybe stick a Child of Prague out too just in case!

The post Hoping for a fine day… appeared first on Roscommon People.

Addressing those present, the head of the sheep section, Pat Naughton, said: “The most exciting thing we have this year, and we can thank Cllr Anthony Waldron for it, are the classes for the Roscommon sheep.

“I’m at sheep all my life and I thought the Roscommon sheep were gone, but they are not, thanks to the work of the Roscommon Sheep Breeders’ Association”.

Mr Naughton introduced Longford native, Noel Kiernan, praising him for his work in saving the iconic sheep breed.

He said that this year’s section would feature four classes for the Roscommon Sheep breed, sponsored by Cllr Waldron, and that the committee were delighted to have them.

Mr Kiernan said he had become interested in rare sheep breeds such as the Roscommon breed and that he had travelled by bicycle to Four Roads/Brideswell where he met Willie Dolan.

“Willie pointed out a ewe…I call her Eve now because she was the start of rekindling the breed,” he said.

Mr Kiernan then sourced a ram from Gort, which he called ‘Adam’, and from that union two ram lambs were bred.

“We’re delighted to have categories in the show to show the sheep off to you. They are nice sheep and easy to handle,” he said.

As well as the historic Roscommon Sheep classes, there will also be up to 30 other classes in the section, according to Pat Naughton, including traditional, modern, and continental breeds.

The head of the sheep section also highlighted the young handlers’ class, which was free to enter, and aimed at encouraging younger participants.

“They can bring a pet lamb if they like. If they know a few things about the sheep, they can win a prize. We’ll give everyone a rosette just to encourage them,” he said.

Sticking with the theme of encouraging more participation in the Roscommon Show, Mr Naughton urged others to come forward to help run the event.

“It would be great to see someone else coming on board,” he said.

“If we don’t get younger people (involved in running the various sections), then I don’t know what’s going to happen”.

The post Rare Roscommon sheep breed to feature for first time appeared first on Roscommon People.

Roscommon Industrial and Agricultural Show boasts one of the best horse shows in Ireland with thousands of euros up for grabs across 14 classes.

Speaking at last Thursday’s launch, head of the horse section, Christy Tully, said the prizemoney on offer was on par with anywhere else in the country.

“The highlight of the day is the All-Ireland Final of the Irish Draught Yearling Filly class, which has a prize fund of €2,000 and is sponsored by Hannon’s Hotel and the Roscommon Show,” he said.

“We get the cream of the crop…it is one of the best All-Irelands in the country and has a big turn out of up to 22 fillies every year”.

Mr Tully thanked the Department of Agriculture and Horse Sport Ireland for sponsoring the Irish Draught Broodmare class to the tune of €1,500. He also thanked local auctioneer Padraig Burke for his ongoing sponsorship of the show.

Mr Tully and Dermot Hughes Cars also sponsor the Roscommon Breeders Broodmare with Foal at foot, which has a prize fund of €1,000.

Like other sections, there are classes for younger participants including young handlers’ classes for those aged 14 to 18 and those aged 19 to 25.

Concluding, Mr Tully described the horse section as “one of, if not the best in the country”.

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