Cork Summer Show viable despite €250k loss

The company which organises the Cork Summer Show, one of Ireland’s longest running agricultural events, insists the event remains viable despite recording losses of more than €251,000 last year.

Figures presented at the AGM of the Munster Agricultural Society show the company recorded a €251,989 loss in the financial year ended last Sept — €70,000 more than the 2015 losses.

It is understood bad weather, which hit attendance figures, especially on day two of last June’s event, contributed to the losses. Following a washout in 2012 that forced the cancellation of the 171st summer show, weather insurance is now in place to cover the organisers’ infrastructural set-up costs.

Figures in the directors’ report showed that MAS turnover for last year amounted to €350,485 — down €40,000 on the previous year, with expenses amounting to €681,834 compared to €646,000 in 2015. The loss for the year amounted to €251,989 compared to €118,273 in the previous year.

However, the company has an accumulated surplus of just over €9.9m — down from €10.1m in 2015 — and the 2016 deficit has been deducted from that balance, the AGM was told. Chairman Gerard Murphy described the losses as “disappointing”, but said the society remains committed to the summer show, with plans well advanced for this year’s event.

The society was established in 1806 to encourage and promote agricultural industry, education, artistic and scientific pursuits at a time when the country’s economy was almost entirely based on agriculture.

Today, the MAS, a company with charitable status, hosts several events on its 126-acre site in Curraheen.

The Cork Summer Show is by far its biggest event and Mr Murphy said it ranks on par with the Balmoral Show, the Highland Show in Scotland, and the Welsh Agricultural Show.

“We are constantly striving to manage our costs, but as the event gets bigger, so too do the costs associated with staging it. We had the largest number of trade exhibitors ever attending last year’s event. We now have weather insurance and we have also expanded our investment portfolio to offset the losses.”

He said the society supported other activities on the Curraheen site which generated revenue but while losses have been incurred, the committee is satisfied the summer show is progressing in the right direction to be viable, and in its overall necessary contribution to the ethos of the company.

The directors’ report expressed satisfaction that after years of hard work, the show has been re-established as a high-profile event in Cork, and it has also “brought attention to the company” which has attracted new members, and from which has grown “new energy”.

Mr Murphy said the society is working with UCC and Cork County Council to develop a masterplan for the Curraheen site, which includes plans for an indoor events centre.

This year’s Cork Summer Show will be spread over five days — with the main agricultural, trade, food and music elements taking place over the weekend of June 17-19, with a two-day showjumping event and a one-day national pedigree dog show taking place in July.