Counting down to Queen of the Land

The countdown is on in Co Offaly for one of the biggest events in the Macra calendar.

The 53rd annual WR Shaw Queen of the Land festival will take place at the Bridge House Hotel in Tullamore from November 10 to 12, with WR Shaw returning as the main sponsor for a third time.

Since 1964, the festival has gone from strength to strength, and this year’s event will feature a superb line-up of entertainment.

Reigning Queen Karen Elliffe from Ballinagore in Westmeath will hand over the Linda O’Brien tiara and title.

Contestants are judged on attributes such as appearance, dress sense, rural knowledge, and elocution.

Huge crowds attend from all over, to cheer on 32 entrants, including English, Scottish, and Northern Ireland Queens.

Contestants enjoy tours of local landmarks and sites such as Clonmacnoise, and are also interviewed by a judging panel, as well as on stage in front of a packed auditorium of supporters.

Chairperson of the WR Shaw Queen of the Land committee, Gerard Mahon said: “This year is going to be very exciting and action- packed, with new and fresh ideas set in motion for this year’s festival.”

He added: “We are very grateful to WR Shaw for their continued support to this festival and very much look forward to working with them during the year. WR Shaw has been in the tractor and farm machinery business for the past 30 years, with their dedicated farm machinery team taking care of their New Holland tractor customer base throughout Ireland with New Holland tractor sales, farm machinery, spare parts and service. WR Shaw has been very supportive to Macra na Feirme for many years and we welcome their continued support and commitment for a third year to the festival.”

Further information, as well as ticket details, can be found on the official website www.queenofthelandfestival.com or by visiting the WR Shaw Queen of the Land Festival social media Facebook/Twitter/Instagram pages.