New venue for 2023 Longford Agricultural Show
This year Longford Agricultural Show will pitch up to a new location in Ennybegs. The farm of Gerry Hagan at Treanlawn, Killoe, will be abuzz with excitement this Sunday.
Site owner Gerry explained how he got involved: “The Show were looking for a site close to Longford town. I hosted the County Longford Ploughing Championships 13 years ago. When the Show Society approached me I said “why not”, it's great for the Longford and Killoe communities. It will bring a great crowd, there will be an extraordinary buzz and hopefully this fine weather will continue.”
Gerry made light of the commitment: “You could look at it as imposition, you have to make adjustments to your farming methods, do a bit of rearrangement. We took all that into consideration; things like silage cutting and fertiliser application, but to be honest once that is sorted it was no big deal really. To be honest we are pleased to be involved.”
The landowner said the appeal of the Show is growing: “It's like a mini-national ploughing. Agriculture and farming are very fashionable at the moment. It's a delight to see so many young people interested and involved in farming. Agriculture is a very wide-ranging business, an awful lot of young people have an interest in it. The Longford Agricultural Show has something to offer everybody, people from diverse backgrounds from urban and rural areas.”
Last year's event attracted huge crowds, all eager to attend after a two year hiatus: “Exhibitors from all over Ireland come to Longford show. It has grown over the years. It's a wonderful success as it is. It's a testament to the committee; Bernie Whyte, Charlie Murphy, JJ Farrell and all involved who put in a huge amount of work to ensure this very special event happens every year,” Gerry said.
The landowner says he is looking forward to the day: “I am sure everybody will have a very enjoyable day on July 2. It's very much a part of Longford life. I mean, not just for the rural community, but also urban people. I mean, it really is an institution. It's a special day, a family day, and very much a fun day for all.”