RIP Laura Buckley Noonan
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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Last year's top three in the Queen of the Land (l. to r.), Edel Ryan (third), from Tipperary, Rachel McNamara (first), from Cork and Joanne Cushen (second), from Kilkenny.
THE hugely popular Queen of the Land festival comes to Birr for the first time ever this November 10th, 11th and 12th.
The organising committee is delighted to welcome 30 contestants to the festival as it celebrates its 59th year. It is encouraging to see the large number of entries from all over the country and organisers wholeheartedly welcome them to Birr.
The County Arms Hotel will be the host venue for the festival, and with over 3,000 people expected to attend over the weekend it promises to bring great excitement to the town.
Friday November 10th will see a public reception in Emmet Square where the people of Birr will have an opportunity to welcome the Queens to the town and this promises to be a great family fun event as the festival is officially opened for its 59th year.
Saturday November 11th will see the Queens take part in on stage interviews with MC Will Faulkner from Midlands 103 before all can enjoy live entertainment in the festival Big Top, headlined by popular act The Whistling Donkeys.
On Sunday November 12th the Queens and Escorts will enjoy a packed day of activities followed by their Gala Banquet after which the 2023 Queen of the Land will be crowned in the Big Top with more live entertainment until late.
It promises to be a weekend full of fun and great entertainment which County Arms Hotel Operations’ Manager Mr Chris McCann describes as “a really exciting new event for Birr which we expect to bring great crowds to the town over the three days”.
Chair of Offaly Macra na Feirme Ms Deirdre Colgan added “the entire committee are very excited to be bringing this highly successful festival to Birr and we expect the new format to be hugely popular amongst our members. This year we are delighted to welcome J. Grennan and Sons as our main festival sponsor and we are greatly appreciative of their support”.
Macra na Feirme has over 11,000 members nationally and the annual Queen of the Land festival is a long-established popular event on their calendar.
For more festival information and ticket sales please follow Queen of the Land on social media and www.macra.ie .
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