It'll be a tough year financially for shows across the country, Irish Shows Association secretary Jim Harrison has said, as many committees were forced to cancel their plans as a result of heavy rainfall.

"The weather is playing havoc this year. So far, we've had Carnew, Louisburgh and Newcastle West who've had to cancel their shows completely for 2023.

"Loughrea Show is set to go ahead this weekend, but it'll be tough," he added.

Up until July, Harrison said, it had been a great year for shows around the country and attendance from patrons was well up.

"There have been some great shows held so far this year," he said.

"Cattle numbers are slightly back, but I have to congratulate the sheep societies for the work they're doing. Sheep entries this year are way up," he added.

Bank holiday weekend

There are currently 17 or 18 shows due to take place over the August bank holiday weekend, Harrison said.

"If we could get over the bank holiday weekend, we'd get over the hump. We're all hoping that the weather will start to pick up," he said.

Funding

The €1m funding which was announced for shows this year will hopefully offset some of the costs associated with having to cancel shows, particularly those who've had to do so at such short notice, he said.

The year's funding was a 40% increase on last year's allocation and is a record investment for agricultural shows.

"Minister Humphreys has to be thanked for the phenomenal funding announced for shows this year.

"There's a lot of money that goes into the organising of a show and hopefully this funding will be available to those who have had to cancel," he said.