CLOONACOOL SHEEP FESTIVAL RETURNS!
THE Cloonacool Sheep Festival takes place again this year after an enforced break of three years. The fourday event take places from today, Thursday, until this Sunday, October 2, in the village of Cloonacool in south Sligo.
Adrian McIntyre, who chairs the festival committee, said: “It’s great to be back. We had a great first festival here in 2019 and ever since then we have been just itching to get it up and running again.
“We have a great sheep farming tradition here in Cloonacool and in the surrounding areas and we are using that to honour the tradition and to celebrate the legacy at this time of year.”
The south Sligo village nestles at the foot of the Ox Mountains along the banks of the river Moy.
The mountain slopes provide the perfect conditions for the breeding and rearing of the famous black face mountain sheep which continue to populate farms throughout the region.
McIntyre continued: “The sheep part of the festival is our main focus, with the sheep show on Sunday taking centre stage, but the festival is more than that.
“This year we’ve extended the festival to four days and start with a super old-fashioned cabaret night with Greenshine from Cork.
“We have lots of events and activities for local families and then this Saturday night we have our gala festival dance with award-winning country star, Stuart Moyles.”
The highlight of the Cloonacool Sheep Festival is a prestigious sheep show that takes place this Sunday. This event draws entries from all over Sligo and Mayo and while it holds huge interest for the farmers who show their sheep, it also provides a fascinating experience for onlookers attending the festival.
This year the organising committee have also included a dog show as part of the festival activities.
Dog lovers are in for a real treat with this event, which will take place in the new green area in the centre of the village.
Visitors to the festival this year will also get to enjoy the many home-cooked treats for which the local Mill Community Café had built a considerable reputation. Local school children will be involved in a major art project and will also get to enjoy a kiddies disco tomorrow, Friday.
In addition, there is a walking treasure hunt scheduled for Saturday morning, which will also see the opening of a new road walk in the parish.
Those attending the event will find ample and well-organised parking. The organising committee can be contacted on 087 2512030 or 087 4103619.