Scene set for 81st Royal Meath Agricultural Show in Trim

It is that time of year, with the evenings closing in, and the last of the agricultural shows are taking place around the country. This means that it is time to be heading to Trim on the first Sunday in September for the 81st Royal Meath Show. Over the next few days, the Porchfields on the banks of the Boyne will be transforming from a quiet riverwalk haven to a buzzing show field.

One of the biggest attractions on the day will be the music, so even if you know nothing else about what goes on in the field, you can be guaranteed a great time dancing with local legend Matt Leavy at 1pm, and the national star Johnny Brady rocking the field at 3pm. There will be a dance floor on the field, so don’t be shy and put on those dancing shoes and let the hair down for a few hours.

No matter what your interest is there will be something to keep you busy for the day, with cattle, sheep, goats, horses, poultry or home industries, reflecting the talent and skill of people around the country.

This year the cattle section is hosting two large sections, with the finals of the North Eastern Limousin Club Championship and the North Eastern Simmental Calf Championship both being held. The cattle section is always a huge display of livestock, no matter how big or small the animal. There is a great display of all breeds from the red of the Herefords to the black of the Aberdeen Angus, with several other breeds in the middle. One of the highlights for many show supporters are the young handler classes that take place. When you see a youngster leading a spruced-up calf walking around a show ring, it would make any parent proud, and gives hope for the future of farming.

In the same field as the cattle, there is competition from all the different breeds of sheep. From the black noses of the Suffolks to the fluffy Hampshire Downs, everyone’s favourites will be clipped and polished to the last. Again, in the sheep section the youth will be out in force with their pet lambs. But just to make sure that the crowd is kept around the ring for a while longer, they go one step further with a fancy-dress lamb. The children really get into the spirit of this with the work of dressing up themselves and their lamb.

In the corner of the of this field, some might say hidden away, you will find the hidden gem of the goat section. From the smallest Pygmy goat, the cutest of all the breeds to the large farm goats, a great display will always be found here. The exhibitors are always willing to give tips and advice, but a good fence is a must.

The horse section always brings a large crowd of exhibitors and followers. Here the youngest riding could be three years old, being led around on their small ponies. With the traditions of going to the local shows starting at this age, it’s a full family outing, where older members could be taking part in the working hunter classes or showing classes as well. A big area of interest in this county is always racing, a special area that takes part is the “racehorse to riding horse”, where all the best racehorses can take part.

The dog show is always a great attraction. There is no need to leave the fur baby at home on the day, they might even go home with a prize. The entries for the dog show are taken on the day, so don’t worry, you’re not late yet. There are numerous different classes to be entered, from breed specific to young handlers. More details of the classes are on Royal Meath dog show on Facebook or www.royalmeathshow.ie.

You might hear yodelling coming from the Home Industries tent on the day as the guilds from Meath ICA battle it out to see who has the best displays for 'My Favourite Things', the iconic song from 'The Sound of Music'. The displays will include art, floral arrangements, cakes and crafts and are a fantastic display. The smell of baking is strong here as well, as the bakers of the country battle it out. The green fingers will be busy for the last few weeks, minding and pruning the garden to get the best of produce for tent. All the young artists get the paints and glue out for the day as well, with displays of buns, wellingtons, wooden spoons and many other magnificent projects.

Lorraine from Daisy Cottage Farm will be in the artisan tents, with cookery demonstrations. Local suppliers will be tempting you with their tasty products. This is a great area for a wander through as you may not be aware of the talent and range of goods that are available locally. The second tent here focuses more on the crafts of the area, and you could end up with something unexpected going home.

There is plenty more to be seen on the field from the vintage display by the South Meath Vintage group, to numerous trade stands with all sorts and ranges of things to tempt you with, while there will be plenty of coffee, ice cream, meals and all sorts of treats to keep you going.

The show kicks off from 9am on the Sunday morning. We ask that you cooperate with those on the roads and gates to keep the area safe and hassle free for all.

The committee are always very grateful for the time, sponsorship and support that it receives form all. Its hard to express how far this help goes to running the show each year. People are very generous and without help in any form it would be impossible to run the show. If you would like more details on any area, the committee are always willing to help. The secretary can be contacted on (086) 735 5557, email royalmeathshow@gmail.com, or on their Facebook page Royal Meath Show.