Tullamore Show Supplement 2018

4 TULLAMORE SHOW
OFFALY EXPRESS
www.offalyexpress.ie.ie
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
TULLAMORE SHOW COMMITTEE
Brenda Kiernan - Chairperson; Rodney Cox - Vice - Chairperson; Freda Kinnarney Secretary/Operations Manager; George Gill - Asst Secretary; Christy Maye - P.R.O; Nicolas Berry - Inventions 2nd;
Ann Bracken - Cookery; Eamon Bracken - Site Layout; Robert Birney - Site Manager; Darren Butler - Gate Operations; Bobby Campbell - Power; Trevor Chadwick - Pedigree Cattle; Cecil Cox- Pedigree
Cattle; Conor Camon - Alpacas/Pigs; Paul Daly - Youth; Micheal Dolan - Commercial Cattle; John Donohue - Horticulture; Peter Donohue - Sheep; Carmel Duffy - Fashion; Tommy Finlay - Dairy
Cattle; Steven Kelly - Internal Traffic; John Keena - Commercial Cattle; Micheal Kinsella - Auditor; Oliver Lowery - Poultry; Richard Langford - Rare Breeds; Tom Maher - Site Supplies; Ray McEvoy
- Trade Stands; Joe Molloy - Car Parks; Ollie Molloy- Signage; Martina Neville - Dairy Cattle; Michelle Nevin - Dogs; David O’Brennan - Horses; Frank O’Reilly - Trade Stands; Phil Rigney - Crafts/
Needlework; Ann Sheerin - Art/Photography; Ann Starling - Gates
Loy digging a new feature at
this year’s Tullamore Show
Loy digging will be a new addition to
the already packed programme at
this year’s Tullamore Show and FBD
National Livestock Show on Sunday,
August 12.
A loy is an early Irish spade with a
long heavy handle made of ash, a narrow
steel plate on the face and a single
footrest. The word loy comes from the
Irish word láí, which means spade. It
was used for manual ploughing prior
to and during the Irish Potato Famine
There will be Loy Digging demonstrations
throughout the day from
10:30am until 4.30pm. The demonstrations
will be shown by Tom Egan
and Bernard Casey, both members of
The Loy Association of Ireland.
A plot of ground beside the demonstration
will be set aside as a space
for members of the public to try their
hand at loy digging. Members of the
Loy Association will be present to give
advice and assistance to any beginners
at loy digging and to anyone who never
before has seen a loy.
Eamon Egan, Secretary, Loy Associationof
Ireland commented, “The loy is
uniquely Irish. It’s characteristics are
weed-control and drainage which cannot
be surpassed by the most modern
technology of today. We are fortunate
that the custodians of its use are with
us still. We should be grateful to the
people who saved it for us. God be with
the tool that fed our nation. Long may
its use continue. “Work hand & foot,
work Loy & Hand The Blessed fruit
that grows from the root is the real
gold of Ireland.”
The art of making a ridge or lazy
bed by hand and doing it properly is
most important for the production
of fresh vegetables for the kitchen.
This is a thing that was always done
in the old days.