The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
West Kerry Agricultural Show: tradition in motion...
THIS year’s West Kerry Agricultural Show takes place on Sunday July 15 at Dingle Mart where a celebration of all things rural takes place - a day out that’s enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.
The West Kerry Agricultural Show sure knows how to mix the best of animal classes with lots of entertaining sideshows ranging from horticulture and home cooking.
This is the 53rd staging of the West Kerry Agricultural Show and, while much has changed since the first show, the one thing that has remained constant is the knowhow and organisational skills needed to make it a super event, which the hardworking committee ensure year after year.
“The committee do great work and we start meetings in March each year and in the lead up to the show we meet once a week. We’re also grateful for the many volunteers who don’t come to meetings but turn up on the day to help out. Many of us have given great years of service and it would be nice if more young people got involved to continue the show,” said Paddy Browne, Secretary of The West Kerry Agricultural Show.
Back in the 1960s when the show was held in August the locals loved to harvest wild flowers from surrounding ditches and fields to put on display, and it’s thanks to this tradition that horticulture still plays a major part in the show today.
The committee members, volunteers and sponsors are now set to transfer months of organisation into a reality as people from across the peninsula and beyond the county bounds get set to travel to Dingle for a memorable day.
“There is a lot of effort but when everyone rows together it works well. The show is well supported and people come from the likes of Clare, Cork and Tipperary,” said Paddy.
The show is a celebration of the finer aspects of country life such as sumptuous cooking, baking, jams, cakes and the blooming brilliance of horticulture and arts & crafts. Kiddies’
amusements, a dog show, Best Dressed Ladies and Gents, and bonnie baby competition is but a sample of what patrons can expect.
The Arts & Crafts and Children’s Art competition entries will be taken on Saturday between 3pm and 7.45pm. Judging will commence at 8pm Saturday night. The Home Baking entries need to be handed into the marquee on Sunday between 10.30am and 12.45pm. Judging commences at 1pm. Bríde Evans will judge the Arts and Crafts and Home Baking Competitions; Rachel Collins judges the Children’s Art competition, while Martina Sheehan will judge The Best Dressed Lady, The most Appropriately Dressed Man, Granny Gaélach and the Bonnie Baby competitions.
Music is another important part of the show as the Banna Cheoil Fife and Drum Band and local musicians will be there to entertain the crowds. As music plays a major role in the days events, the Lispole youth marching band will get the day off to a start when they set out from the Fungi statue at the head of the pier at 1.30 P.M. and march to the grounds accompanied by a TV crew covering the event for Tg4 and BBC Northern Ireland. Due to TV coverage of games the show will commence a half hour earlier. Some top livestock classes will be on show
Upwards of €20,000 in prizemoney will be won at this year’s West Kerry Agricultural Show with some prestigious cups also up for grabs. The show starts at 12:30pm and the ever popular sheep dog trials will serve as the usual crowd puller as competitors travel from all over Ireland for what is a great spectacle.
Rosettes will be at the ready for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in the cattle and sheep classes.
“The livestock really adds to the day with some good and new breeds adding fierce interest. The people seem to love it and watching the sheep dogs in action is something special in itself,” Paddy said. Kerry V Donegal game
The Kerry V Donegal game will be shown on screens in grounds. A marquee will be erected for the cakes and crafts section as it gives this important part of the show its own unique setting.
“The marquee adds its own atmosphere in a way and we feel it rewards the hard work, creative cooking and baking skills of the contestants. There are some really excellent prizes up for grabs this year so get baking and crafting. Any crafts you have completed throughout the year, bring them along.” Paddy added.
The West Kerry Agricultural Show is a celebration of rural life and it’s a day when the best of country is brought to town and put on display. Tourists also get a huge kick out of seeing the different animals, and in many ways a way of life that is unchanged. The hope now is that the fine weather will stick around a bit longer. Make Sunday, July 15, a date for the diary.