New home for Athenry’s Agri Show

OVER its 130 year history, Athenry Agricultural Show has seen a few different venues such as The Rampart, The Back Lawn and more recently the grounds of Athenry Mart . . . but this year it’s moving again.

The new venue is the Teagasc campus at what was previously known as Mellows College or The Farmyard, a few kilometres on the west side of the town on the old Galway Road.

The show has a remarkable unbroken record since its founding in 1889 and this year’s committee headed by Chairman Kieran O’Keefe and show secretary Claire Rooney expect it to be one of the best ever.

“We have classes for all farm animals and farm produce as well as sections for poultry, fruit, eggs, jams, home-baking and handcrafts as well as art and photography competitions,” said Kieran O’Keeffe.

Claire Rooney said that the dog show had been very popular over the past decade and this year there will be classes for spaniels, toy or miniature dogs, pointers, retrievers and setters, labradors, terriers, utility breeds, sporting breeds, working dogs, cross-breeds and stray and rescue dogs.

Included in the show are competitions for puppies up to 6 months and Golden Oldies over 10 years as well as best dog-trick, dog handled by an under-12 and most unusual pet.

The event will have three qualifiers for bigger shows – Boyle Spaniel All-Ireland Champsionships, Clonaslee All-Ireland Championships and Bonniconlon Connacht Championships (all breeds) as well as the Samantha Freaney Memorial Trophy for the Champion Dog of the Show.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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