A well travelled Kerry man explained to me on Sunday that it must be over 40 years ago that the Tullamore Show started as the National Livestock Show.

Back in the early days, he said he knew one of the local Teagasc advisers who was involved in drawing out the entry routes and the site plan.

How the show has grown. When I subsequently enquired, I confirmed it is 33 years since the first revamped Tullamore National Livestock Show took place.

It is amazing how the show has grown by sticking to its roots – the farmers and the livestock. Yes, there were some traffic delays coming in and out, but what do you expect any time you park 30,000 or 40,000 cars in a field?

The welcome sun brought a smile to everyone’s face. As much as farmers’ margins were squeezed in 2023, and are being squeezed in 2024, there is no doubt that the enthusiasm and local investment and spend from the farming sector is second to none when compared to so many other indigenous Irish industries.

Thankfully this year the straw debacle has abated and winter barley and wheaten straw is collected, stored and safe for 2024.

Many farmers who visited the Irish Farmers Journal’s stand on Sunday were very grateful to have completed the winter crops earlier than last year. Many are anxiously awaiting the start of the spring crop harvest.

Inundated

This time last year at the show, we were inundated with queries around the sowing and grazing of catch crops and subsequently the minister and his Department made changes.

Speaking on our Tullamore stand on Sunday last, the minister said he hoped that the changes he made to rules on grazing of catch crops were enough to allow it prosper.

The evidence from those tillage farmers we have talked to suggests otherwise. Given the practical considerations around grazing, it looks like they are simply going to stay away from grazing catch crops, which is a real shame.

It’s a real loss of a quality feed in a year when fodder stocks are in the balance. As the minister outlined on Sunday, there is of course a balance to maintaining good water quality when grazing these crops. However, if the growers suggest they could not be bothered to even consider grazing, then the balance is out of kilter.

Getting back to the Tullamore Show, more and more it is now replacing what we knew as the Spring Show in the RDS. The year was 1991, the Celtic Tiger had yet to grip the economy, and how lucky are we that a small group proceeded with their plans to create the first agricultural show on the outskirts of Tullamore.

The second year saw the move to the Charleville Estate, its home for many years. The show was cancelled five times: in 2001 due to foot and mouth, in 2007 and 2008 due to incessant rain, and in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19.

When the show committee reviewed the site, they agreed to move to the Butterfield Estate, 5km from the Charleville Estate. Since then, it is proving highly successful, and last Sunday will be chalked down as another very successful event.

Whether you are into showing livestock or not, it is clear from the show that the passion and enthusiasm from young people to manage, care for and tend to livestock is alive and well.

Other countries strive for these skillsets and knowledge. Our people are one of our industry’s strongest assets.