Ballinlough Castle hosts National Country Fair

The Irish National Country Fair, Ireland"s all-new country sports weekend, will take place at Ballinlough Castle, Clonmellon, at the weekend. The event, on 18th and 19th July, will feature two days of exciting outdoor activities and sporting demonstrations, music, food, games and more. The picturesque venue has been used for concerts and festivals in the past and its internal system of roads, lawns and paved areas make it an excellent location for this new country fair. Drawing upon their wealth of experience in running events in Ireland, fair organisers Bill Beckett and Derek Lutton, along with Countryside Alliance Ireland, have secured the services of some of the best exhibitions to be found anywhere in Europe. Attractions include birds of prey, the drakes of hazard, medieval jousting, gundog handling, clay pigeon shooting, and the local hunts which will parade in the main arena each day. Scottish band Clann An Drumma, literally 'Children of the Drum", are an exciting, energetic and rhythmic group performing. Their music has been passed down to through the generations and is dominated by rhythm, enhanced by the skirl of the pipes, flavoured with enchanting vocals and wrapped in the warmth of Scotland. With the interest in locally produced food high in Ireland, the Ballinlough Food Festival at the National Country Fair should prove to be one of many highlights of the weekend. More than 30 food stands can be catered for at the event and the list of exhibitors is growing as the weeks progress. Catering for over 30 craft exhibitors from Ireland and the UK, the fair will be one of the largest gatherings of quality, hand-made crafts to be found in Ireland. From spinners to stick-makers, fly dressers to farriers, potters to painters, they will all be available in the crafts village at Ballinlough Castle. With visitor car parking located just a five-minute walk from the centre of the country fair, visitors are assured of easy parking and a pleasurable stroll to the fair through mature, Irish parkland. Opening times for the weekend festival are 9am-6pm each day. Entry to the event is €15 for adults with children"s tickets costing €5, parking is free. For more information, visit the website at www.irishcountryfair.com.