Plans unveiled for Athlone Show next month

Plans for this year's Athlone Agricultural Show are in full swing, with details of the event announced at the official launch at The Bounty recently.

PJ Glynn, Chairman of the show, which will take place on Sunday, June 16, on Michael O’Donohoe’s farm at Garnafailagh, Athlone, told the gathering of exhibitors and sponsors that the local agricultural show had grown from strength to strength since the first show in 1951.

“It’s due to the committees down through the years that we have grown and the facilities we have and the people that work for the show and our sponsors,” said PJ. “This is a community based show run by the community for the community, and again I would say without sponsors we wouldn’t have a show. We have exhibitors and trade stands, and music all day long and all the facilities that we need for families. It’s a day for the young and the not so young. All we need is a fine day.”

Mayor of Athlone Moate Municipal District Cllr Louise Heavin said: “Agricultural shows are a big part of our town and district, and I would include the one in Moate as well. I’m from a farming background in Mount Temple and grew up between two dairy farms. My Dad had cattle and on both my mum and dad’s side the main income in the houses was from farming. It’s a big part of my heritage and I know it’s changed in one hundred years and it will change in the next hundred years.”

She said that while she now lives in town, she sees the agricultural show as a key part of the community, which can reintroduce people who may have left farms, back to the world of agriculture.

“It’s also a big fun event for the family, and I look forward to bringing my own kids to it, to introduce them to what their grandparents grew up with,” said the Athlone Mayor. “I hope you get the weather and thank you to the committee and the work they do in the background that nobody sees and to the sponsors as well. It’s about community and businesses are a part of our community.”

The National President of the Irish Shows Association (ISA) Ray Brady told the gathering at The Bounty: “I’ve been to Athlone Shows eight or nine times, and everyone was always friendly to me here and that’s testament to the people in this room, and the culture and tradition that the Athlone show always had

“It’s great to see your show continue and the people who set up Athlone Show and were involved over the years handed it on to a new guard. Hopefully it’ll continue to sustain and grow into the future.”

He said the ISA is a body that works away in the background and they got allocated funding from the Dept. of Rural and Community Development.

“That funding is a shot in the arm for a lot of shows,” said the ISA President. “Keeping an eye on safety is important and an eye on the environment when we run our events, and it’s not easy to run events with high costs, but if you have the support in place from the sponsors it softens the blow. I wish the committee well. Two years ago there was probably a crossroads, but people in the room decided to push on and have an Athlone show and I say well done. I wish you the best of luck for the day and I hope to be in attendance on June 16, and I hope the weather is good.”

PJ Glynn thanked Michael O’Donohoe for his site in Garnafailagh, which will be the venue of the Athlone Agri Show.

“It’s a phenomenal site that we have and I’d like to thank Michael O’Donohoe,” said PJ.