Cappamore Show will return for one-day only on August 19, which will be the 67th show in its 70-year history.
“It’s the 67th show, as Covid-19 caused the show to be cancelled twice, with foot-and-mouth also causing the show to be called off one year,” John Hassett, secretary of the Cappamore Show told Agriland.
“But the show has gone ahead every other year.
“Earlier this year we had an additional event for some of our older members to acknowledge those that are over 50 and 60 years involved in the show.”
The 140 committee members involved in the show means it’s a community-led effort, according Hassett.
“We’re very much a community-led show, that’s our ethos, that it’s for the community and that it’s represented by the community across east Limerick,” he said.
Running a show
The work involved in organising and running a show like the Cappamore Show is no easy task, as Hassett knows how easily they can be called off.
“This year has been tough on shows with the weather, and that must be heartbreaking. My heart goes out to those shows as I know how much work goes into them,” he said.
After joining the committee five years ago, Hassett became the secretary last year, which he called “a daunting task”.
“It isn’t just your spare time you’re planning it, you’re also planning your farm year around it. You’re hoping you’ll have silage done by that time,” he said.
The running of the show, according to Hassett, “couldn’t happen without volunteers as it is volunteer led”.
The sponsors are also a major factor in the show’s success every year, and the Cappamore Show secretary spoke highly about St. Ailbe’s Credit Union’s sponsorship of the show.
He said: “It’s a one-day event that happens in a green field that evolves back into a green field after the show, and we couldn’t do that without our sponsors.” Hassett hosts the show on his own land.
The Cappamore Show also received government funding, as the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) support the show.
“We couldn’t do it without the sponsors and the department,” Hassett said.
Environment groups
As always there will be a wide range of activities for visitors to choose from at this year’s show, and this year there will be a large aspect of biodiversity awareness present, with various organisations to speak to visitors on the work they do for the environment.
A green village initiative is also being launched this year, and is a chance for visitors to speak to experts from a wide range of environmental organisations.
“We have a broader responsibility to society to showcase everything that’s going on.
“We have a good take-up of volunteer-led committees that are involved in wildlife and biodiversity, for example, the hedgehog project, which is doing a census in Co. Limerick at the moment.”
“We’ll have participation from the agroforestry groupings, and there’s also the local water scheme called the Maigue Rivers Trust,” he said.
Cappamore Show
Hassett said the Cappamore Show “is an agricultural show but it’s for everybody”.
Activities on the day will include free children’s entertainment and archery, with a Limerick local food and craft marquee present for the day too.
There will be various trade stands on display, selling fruit, vegetables, and flowers, with visitors to the show also being able to visit art and photography stands.
Show attendees can see a pet dog show, carriage driving, a tug of war, and a vintage car display, with live music being played all day.
As the Cappamore Show is an agricultural show, there is also a wide range of animals on display for visitors to view.
Hassett said: “We have a very strong cattle section, and we are well known for the spread of breeds that we have at our show.
“There’s a good lot of our members that are pedigree breeders also, so we have a good selection of Angus, Herefords, Simmentals, Limousins and Shorthorns.”
In the Co. Limerick and midwest region, Hassett spoke about the popularity of the Irish breeds in the area, in particular the Droimeanns and the Irish Maols, with the Dexter breed also being present at this year’s show.
There will be sheepdog demonstrations, as well as goat classes, and the Cappamore Show will be bringing a Clydesdale mare back for visitors, owing to its popularity last year.
“The Clydesdale was of great interest last year, because for older people it’s bringing back memories, and for younger people, they had never heard of these animals,” he said.