Community at heart of Granard Show which is going from strength to strength
Cllr Turlough McGovern: “We're hoping that the weather will stay good for the two days. We always attract people from far and wide."
The organisation of the Granard Agricultural Show is a significant task and one that the dedicated team of volunteers apply themselves to each year.
Beyond the two days of the Show there are countless hours of work to make a community event that brings people from all over the country to North Longford.
Cllr Turlough McGovern says the benefits of the annual event are many: “It's great for bringing people into the town. It's in its 73rd year, which shows the continued success of the Show. Fresh blood was added a couple of years ago and it has gone from strength to strength.”
Last Thursday in The Bay Horse (Clancys Bar) the official launch took place, “We had a very successful launch night in Clancy's Bar on Main Street, Granard last week. A very big crowd turned out. We always get great support for it.”
The 2024 Granard Show has an intense programme including horse and pony classes, cattle classes, sheep and goats, a dog show, and entertainment for youngsters.
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“There are lots of activities on offer over the two days. The big thing on Saturday is the commercial cattle competitions, but there is also the sheep. All the stalls; the baking stalls and the cake stalls and trade stands as well. While on Sunday the main event will be the show jumping.”
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Despite some poor weather last year the show proved to be very popular: “We're hoping that the weather will stay good for the two days. We always attract people from far and wide, they come from all over the country to us. They come from the north and they come down from east and west,” Cllr McGovern said.
Granard Agricultural Show at the Showgrounds, Higginstown is on Saturday, July 20 and Sunday, July 21, with the gates open at 8.30am on Show morning.