Air of positivity at launch of 2025 Athlone Agri Show

There was an air of positivity last Thursday night at the launch of the Athlone Agri Show in The Bounty.

Firstly, there was hope for good weather for the Athlone Agri Show which will take place in mid-June at O’Donohoe’s farm in Garnafailagh, Athlone and then the large gathering of the local agricultural community which attended the show’s launch listened attentively to National President of Irish Shows Association, Freda Kinnarney deliver some good news going forward for the community.

Athlone Minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran launched the show and was surrounded by politicians Mayor Frankie Keena, Maria Walsh MEP, Cllr John Dolan, Cllr John Gibbons and Roscommon/Galway Deputy Martin Daly.

“The first agricultural show in Athlone was in 1951 and look at where it has come to, to where it is tonight,” said Boxer. “It’s close to my own home and on the land of the great Michael O’Donohoe. I remember Michael coming to me and asking me what I’d think of the show being on his land, and I said to him, that it was the best thing I ever heard!”

The Athlone Minister said that the show was one of the biggest in the country, thanks to its committee, who he said deserves a lot of credit.

“It’s the biggest horse show event outside the RDS,” said Boxer.

He said that he asked his department (OPW) to put on a display at the show, of the flood walls in Athlone and also of the Lough Funshinagh works.

He said that a lot of work goes into hosting the show and there is “a lot of man/woman hours involved,” and without the committee, the show wouldn’t be the success that it has proven to be.

President of the Irish Shows Association Freda Kinnarney said that she too found it an honour and privilege to be at the launch of the Athlone Show.

“The Athlone Show is thriving and I can sense the buzz in the room and feel the enthusiasm and I know the plans are all made at this stage except for the finer tuning,” said the President. “I was at the show last year and really enjoyed it and I’m hoping to be there again this year.”

She said the success of the Athlone Show is part of the lifeblood of rural communities.

“The townspeople also like to come out to the shows and enjoy everything going on,” said Freda Kinnarney

She highlighted some recent good news for Oliver Flanagan, the General Secretary of the Athlone Show Committee, who she said would be extremely happy to hear about the Minister for Agriculture lifting the ban on poultry and and captive birds. The ban had been introduced in February because of the avian flu situation and will be revoked from Saturday, May 10.

The Irish Shows President had some more good news for the local agricultural community, based on Peace Plus – a cross-border funding programme supported by the European Union, the governments of Ireland and the UK and the Northern Ireland administration. She told the Athlone gathering that she had been at a seminar in Belfast on the previous Tuesday night, where there had been talk of a large fund of money available from Peace Plus.

“I thought it would be just for border counties, but it can relate to the thirty-two counties, and it is in three phases up to €100,000,” said the Irish Shows President. “It sounds like a massive opportunity.”

Maria Walsh MEP addressing the gathering, acknowledged the work of Chairperson PJ Glynn and General Secretary Oliver Flanagan.

“Athlone is a unique show and you must throw out Child of Pragues like there is no tomorrow! I love the show and it has so much to offer. I look forward to joining you on Sunday, June 15, which is Father’s Day, for all of you who are fathers! I will bring my father as well and tell him that’s his gift for the day! The Child of Prague will definitely be out from the Mayo side.”

Deputy Martin Daly spoke to the agricultural community gathering and praised Mayor Moran about the Lough Funshinagh scheme and talked about the previous situation there, which he called “an open sore for the people of South Roscommon.”

“I’d like to pay tribute to him because he wears the jersey for lots of places and he’s a colleague and was most supportive of me as a first time TD,” said Deputy Daly. “Ireland is changing and we are less dependent on agriculture but the DNA of Ireland is agriculture and these fairs are so important for people, and it provides the opportunity for people to come together and celebrate the culture. The shows like the ones in Athlone are so important.”

The Athlone Mayor complimented the committee and PJ Glynn and said that a lot of voluntary work goes on behind the scenes.

“It’s great to have such representations here tonight from the EU and Oireachtas, which gives a strong level of credibility and endorsement to the Athlone Show,” said Mayor Keena.

“Oliver is one of the legends and I’m sure he’s delighted with the news on the poultry ban. It’s good to see that.”

There was a special presentation given by Vice-Chairman Cllr. John Dolan to Melissa Glynn, who is head of the equine section. She is getting married next Saturday and was honoured by the committee for her voluntary work in the show, and was presented with an Athlone Crystal ornament, which was accepted by her mother, Majella Glynn.

PJ Glynn closed the night, saying that it’s a pleasure to be chairman and to see the hard work done by the committee and that without their sponsors they wouldn’t have a show.

He also thanked Michael O’Donohoe who owned the land and said that country singer, Robert Mizzell will be playing at the show this year.

“Without O’Donohoe’s farm our show would not be taking place, and it’s a great location, and our show has the potential to grow and get bigger,” he said.

Athlone Agri Show will take place in O’Donohoe’s Farm, Garnafailagh on June 15.