50,000 reasons to enjoy show
The organisers of this rural feast kept their recipe for success to themselves, but the ingredients provided a hint as to why Tullamore can serve up a €350,000 showpiece, flavoured with a prize fund of €128,000 in 850 classes including 40 national championships.
The menu included entries of 1,000 cattle, a 25% increase, 1,000 horses and ponies, up by 8.6%, and 300 trade stands, mixed with rural lifestyle exhibits, competitions and entertainment.
An executive committee of 35 headed by John Cleary, chairman, Michael Fox, vice chairman, Freda Kinnarney, secretary and PRO Christy Maye along with 650 helpers, served it all up to the multitudes with courtesy and good humour.
Among those who enjoyed the feast were farm leaders. They were worried however, that another menu recently prepared by EU Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler could leave many of Ireland’s 140,000 farmers in a stew of a different kind.
Irish Shows Association chairman PJ Foy said soaring insurance costs’ claims are putting some of the country’s 140 local shows at risk. He said people who make fraudulent claims quickly throw away their walking sticks and collars when they get their cheques.
A group of pig producers protested at the show about the level of meat imports and how they are labelled.
A spokesman for the group Conor O’Brien said consumers are being misled by Irish place names, brand names and slogans on the labels of many pigmeat products.
“Imported pigmeat is being sold under some of our best known brand names,” he said, explaining that the protest was to highlight the situation.
