Two local schoolgirls took treasure hunt prizes at Teagasc 1916 event

OVER 60,000 people attended the Teagasc and Galway County Council’s ‘Farming and Country Life 1916’ in early June.

This interactive, informative and fun event recreated rural life of 1916 and reflected on developments over the past century. The event was manned by several hundred volunteers who contributed in many, many ways into making the event a great success.

One of the volunteers, Bernadette Doherty from Woodlawn Heritage Group, devised two treasure hunts for children who visited the replica GPO and ‘Ireland 1916’ Village in partnership with all the other community heritage groups who were manning this village.

Thousands of children completed the treasure hunts and entered the competition to win a tablet – one for the under-8 age category and one for the over 8s.

It is incredible to think that of all the enteries submitted that the two winners came from an 8km radius of the Teagasc Campus in Athenry.

Ailish Burke (11) from Coldwood National School was the winner of the tablet in the over-8s while Eabha Corcoran (8) from Carnaun National School took the under-8s prize.

Professor Michael Diskin, Head, Animal & Bioscience Research Department, Sheep Enterprise Leader, Teagasc said the Farming and Country Life 1916 event  really captured the imagination of all those who attended, from the youngest to the oldest’.

He said that Teagasc were delighted with all the very positive feedback that they had received from those who attended the event’.

Cllr. Michael Connolly, Cathaoirleach, Galway Co. Council, said that ‘The Farming and Country Life 1916’ was an incredibly successful event that provided visitors with high quality, authentic performances and exhibits that accurately retold the stories of farming and country life and the Rising in Galway during 1916.

He also said that ‘the meithal mentality’ was very much in evidence in the development and delivery of the event with so many volunteers being involved. He congratulated all involved with the event for making it such a resounding success.