A Tour of Northern Irish Agricultural Shows

From the collection of

Northern Ireland Screen's Digital Film Archive

Launched in 2000, Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive spans from 1897 to the present day and currently contains an ever-expanding catalogue of 13,000 items. It comprises material from a variety of depositors including feature films, sport, documentaries, animation, amateur footage, light entertainment, and a significant proportion of broadcast material from the UTV Archive.

A Tour of Northern Irish Agricultural Shows

All the fun of the country fair. This vibrant film documents the array of events and sheer spectacle of agricultural shows across Ulster.

The agricultural fair has long been a part of local life. Featured here, Ballycastle's Lammas Fair is held every August and has run, uninterrupted, for over three centuries. Such is its appeal that it has spawned songs and attracts up to 100,000 visitors each day. This material from the E.T. Green collection is courtesy of Waddell Media Ltd.

Also featured here is the, sadly, discontinued Coleraine Fair and the long-running Ballymoney Show. Started in 1902, the latter fair has expanded considerably over the years, now encompassing not only the traditional livestock exhibitions and trade stands, but home industries, arts and crafts and family entertainment.

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