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15/05/2013
Balmoral Show Opens
Ireland's largest agricultural event, the Balmoral Show, opens today, celebrating its 145th anniversary.
Over 500 exhibitors and up to 80,000 people are expected to attend the three-day event, which will see a range of trade exhibitions, livestock and events.
The Show is organised by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS).
The first annual Show at Balmoral was held on the 17 - 19 June 1896.
For the first time ever, the Balmoral Show is taking place this year outside Belfast, at the site of the former Maze prison. It had previously been held at the King's Hall in south Belfast.
Some unionists had expressed reservations regarding the location of the site, given the history of the Maze prison and its paramilitary inmates at the height of the Troubles.
But it seems many have been won round to the idea of using the site, now renamed Balmoral Park, to showcase Ireland's agricultural heritage.
Visitors to this year's show have been urged to use the free public transport, which is taking the form of a complimentary shuttle service to Balmoral Park from Lisburn Train station between 08:30 and 21:00.
SDLP West Tyrone MLA and Agricultural spokesperson Joe Byrne was speaking ahead of this year's Show.
He said: "I have been visiting the Balmoral Agricultural Show since I was a student at Queen's in the mid Seventies and have always enjoyed the colour and atmosphere when country people attend this big show.
"The RUAS are to be congratulated on this major development to the new Maze site and hopefully they will be able to enjoy another 100 years of progress and advancement of the farming sector in our economy."
(IT/CD)
Over 500 exhibitors and up to 80,000 people are expected to attend the three-day event, which will see a range of trade exhibitions, livestock and events.
The Show is organised by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS).
The first annual Show at Balmoral was held on the 17 - 19 June 1896.
For the first time ever, the Balmoral Show is taking place this year outside Belfast, at the site of the former Maze prison. It had previously been held at the King's Hall in south Belfast.
Some unionists had expressed reservations regarding the location of the site, given the history of the Maze prison and its paramilitary inmates at the height of the Troubles.
But it seems many have been won round to the idea of using the site, now renamed Balmoral Park, to showcase Ireland's agricultural heritage.
Visitors to this year's show have been urged to use the free public transport, which is taking the form of a complimentary shuttle service to Balmoral Park from Lisburn Train station between 08:30 and 21:00.
SDLP West Tyrone MLA and Agricultural spokesperson Joe Byrne was speaking ahead of this year's Show.
He said: "I have been visiting the Balmoral Agricultural Show since I was a student at Queen's in the mid Seventies and have always enjoyed the colour and atmosphere when country people attend this big show.
"The RUAS are to be congratulated on this major development to the new Maze site and hopefully they will be able to enjoy another 100 years of progress and advancement of the farming sector in our economy."
(IT/CD)
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