168 year old Carbery Show is back on the road

THE march of time caught up with one of the country’s most celebrated agricultural shows last year, but it’s back on track this year.

Carbery Show in Skibbereen has been on the go since 1836. Indeed, the flavour of the show’s early years were immortalised by local literary figures, Edith Somerville and her cousin, Violet Martin, in their classic novel, Some Experiences of an Irish RM, which reached a worldwide audience in the hugely successful TV series, The Irish RM.

But last year, in the 167th year of the event, Carbery Show was halted because of construction of the N71 by-pass road through the show grounds.

Now, the work is completed, and the show is back on the road, as good as ever, complete with the Somerville Perpetual Challenge Cup, which, since 1950, has commemorated the family of Edith Somerville.

The major attractions at next Thursday’s event (July 22) will be the prestigious Cork County yearling horse and beef bull championships.

But those who have fond memories of Mrs Céadogáin and Flurry Knox will still find plenty of inimitable west Cork characters at the Skibbereen event.