Hopes for ‘bigger and better’ Moate show in 2022

A committee member of Moate Agricultural Show has expressed his disappointment at the cancellation of the show for a second year running as a result of the pandemic but hopes that it will come back bigger and better than ever next year.

Padraig McNeill, who has been involved with the show for 35 years and is the current Treasurer of the committee, says that he and the rest of the members are anxious to get back to organising the show again and to have more regular meetings once again.

“We’ve only had one outdoor meeting in a year and a half, and we haven’t even had our AGM,” he said. “Hopefully by this time next year everything will be back on stream though.

“A lot of us do really miss it and are eager to get back to it. We enjoy the meetings during the year and the preparation for the show, and even cleaning up after the show.

“The show itself is a huge social day out for a lot of people as well. It’s one of the biggest events for the town every year, and it normally gathers four or five thousand people. There are not many other events that attract that crowd in the area.”

The positive local economic impact is also something that will be missed in the town.

“Local businesses benefit from the show, especially the past few years when it’s been on a Sunday. A crowd gets drawn in and restaurants and shops get a good spin-off from it. Exhibitors use shows like ours to sell their products, horses and cattle, and others like to show off their ware.

“We always put up a road sign on motorway for traffic coming from the west to try draw people into the town, rather than have them drive by us.“

Padraig saysthat although the show could have gone ahead this year, restrictions mean it would have been limited to 500 people, which was not feasible.

He also envisions difficulties for agricultural show committees and funding across the country for 2022.

“There are challenging times ahead for agricultural shows because a lot of sponsors that were there before simply aren’t there anymore, and it will be a different ball game when they do come back.

“The amount of sponsors available will be down everywhere, and how can you look for sponsorship from a business that’s only after reopening after being closed for such a long time?

“A lot of committees around the country are going to find it hard to get back up and running too because some members have stepped back or have moved on.”

Preparation for the Moate Show show normally begins immediately after the previous one, but Padraig and the committee are currently waiting to get the go-ahead from the Irish Shows Association to begin preparing for 2022.

“We’re really looking forward to getting back to business as usual. We have some younger committee members and they bring great energy and ideas to the show.

“We’re all anxious to get back. It will bounce back bigger and better than ever, but it will take more work for next year,” he finishes.