Popular Athlone man celebrates his 50th birthday

The Athlone Agri-Show General Secretary, Oliver Flanagan, celebrated his 50th Birthday recently in The Bounty Bar & Restaurant with family and friends.

Many of those in attendance travelled to Athlone from as far away as Leitrim, Wicklow, and Dublin, as well as a car load of his cousins from Crossmolina in Mayo.

Oliver’s father, Michael, wrote the following verse, summing up Oliver’s activities and achievements in the Agri-Show world from childhood to present day.

Oliver’s 50th Birthday

On the day he was born he was a bundle o' joy

I thanked his mother for such a wonderful boy

I watched him grow up as all fathers do

And I hoped that some day he would walk in my shoes.

Animals he loved and he longed for the day

To lead a prizewinner on some big show day

At five years of age his dream did come true

With a brown and white donkey a blue ribbon he drew.

His next was a pony, Robin by name

He had great years of showing 'til one day he went lame.

His uncle had heard of this very sad day

And surprised him with a heifer on his next birthday

A pedigree Angus as black as the night

I will never forget the boy’s sheer delight

He fed her and groomed her and trained her to lead

And longed for the day that some judge would take heed.

At the Spring Show in Dublin he launched his campaign

The rest it is history and long may it reign.

His love of animals is still to the fore

but a change of direction has gained a lot more.

It’s the birds he is after, feathered of course

laying beautiful eggs that are champions at shows

The advice that I gave him all those years ago

Is now coming through at many’s a show.

For this I am proud and I would like to say

You’re one hell of a Son is our Oliver J.