CASTLEBRIDGE SHOW HISTORY
One of Castlebridge’s oldest traditions is its annual Horticultural/Agricultural/ Home Industry Show, which is held on the second Thursday of August each year. Nothing can whet up as much enthusiasm, camaraderie, co-operation, competition, rivalry, bad-feeling and good hearty laughter as this very popular event. In short say – “there’s no business like show business”. The show comprises exhibitions of agricultural and horticultural produce, fruit, flowers, photography, baking home industry, children’s classes. Other attractions include a Baby Show and a Dog Show. This Show attracts competitors and visitors from as far afield as Counties Wicklow and Carlow and is the largest remaining Horticultural Show of its kind in Co Wexford.
It has been said that the secret of the success of Castlebridge Show, which has grown from strength to strength over the years whilst other shows collapsed, is the steadfast support of the people from the Castlebridge Parish and surrounding areas. The spirit of competition is alive and well in Castlebridge – so alive in fact that the standard of the entries increases almost every year making judging an increasingly more difficult task.
Probably more than 50% of the parishioners hadn’t even been born when Castlebridge staged its first ever Horticultural/ Agricultural Show – that was seventy years ago – 1st Thursday of September, 1940 to be precise. Only few of that first committee are alive today. Back in 1940 local gardeners from Castlebridge area, like Patsy Devereux, John Walsh and Matty Murphy Senr., were disappointed to see Screen Horticultural Show closing down and set about trying to establish a Show in Castlebridge. A committee of interested was set up (Castlebridge’s first Show Committee) and this included – Patsy Devereux, Oldtown (Chairman) John Walsh, Ballywish ( Treasurer) ; Mrs Nunn, Castlebridge (President); Mrs Bradish, Strandfield, Wexford and Mrs. Bell Rosslare ( Vice-Presidents); Mrs Doolan Castlebridge (Garda’s Wife) Secretary; also Mrs O’Brien, The Slob, Mrs. Patsy Roche, Castlebridge; Miss Lizzy (Shang) Murphy. A door-to-door campaign informing people of the proposed Show was launched by the committee. That first Show was held in the old schoolhouse (where Castlebridge Hall now stands) and comprised seventeen classes and attracted around 100 entries, mostly vegetables, flowers, brown bread, eggs, home-made butter. Judging was carried out by Mr. Billy Sweeney, Hort, Advisor with Cttee, of Agriculture, and Miss Golden, a Home Economics Teacher in Wexford. Winners included Jimmy O’Leary, Ballyboggan; Mike Doyle, Kilmisten (Hank of Onions); Johonnie Redmond, Kilmisten: John Walsh, Ballywish; Mrs O’Brien, The Slob (brown bread); Miss Walker, Tykillen (Cabbages). First Prize was the old half – crown (12 cent today); 2nd 1/6; 3rd 1/- and entry fee was six old pence. No great profit was made that year. However enthusiasm was high and the committee were anxious to chance another show in 1941.
Jimmy Murphy of Kilcorrell took over as secretary in 1941 from Mrs. Dolan, whose husband the local Garda had been transferred to another area.
The show continued throughout the 1940’s with Mr P.D. Breen, Castlebridge taking the reins as chairman in the mid-forties, a position he held for some ten years.
By 1950 Castlebridge Show was well established. The committee at that time included Mrs. Nunn, President; Rev. Fr. Brown, Vice-President; Mr. P.D. Breen, Chairman; Patrick Devereux, Vice-Chairman; John Walsh, Treasurer; Thomas Jordan, Secretary;
Mr. O’Brien; Miss L. Murphy; Miss Maria Redmond; Miss K. O’Connor; Misses Kitty and Statia Doyle; Miss A. Breen; Messrs. A. Tobin; William Neville; Ned Dalton; Sean Murphy; Sean Carr; M .Murphy; William Conroy; Seamus Brennan; Phil Redmond; Jim Murphy. Membership fee was 2/6 and the Show was held in Shortle’s Yard ( now Keating Insulation ). In that year the committee was spreading its wings and included Horse-jumping in its Show Programme. The Horse-jumping competitions were held in Jack Culleton’s field in Ballyboggan and Mrs. Nunn sponsored the Challenge Cup. This was to be won three years in succession or four years in all. A special sub-committee was set up to organise the event and collection cards were issued to fundraise it. Mr.White of Baldwinstown was the judge. However, the Horse-jumping Show was a financial failure and has never been held since. The Show faced bankruptcy that year, making an overall loss of £4. Face was saved by all the Committee members digging into their pockets and making contributions to the very needy cause!
Kathleen O’Connor was appointed Secretary in March, 1951 and remained as the Committee’s dedicated and hard-working secretary until 1978 when the current Secretary ( Breda Conroy) was elected.
The 1951 Show introduced an added attraction which was to be the highlight of the Show for many years- namely Nunns Gardedns being open to the public on Show Day.
In the late 1940,s and early 1950’s a feature of the Show which generated much interest was the Poultry Section. Cages were loaned by Committee of Agriculture to house the live fowl for the day. It was during those years that Captain Gunsten of Ardtramont Cottage, who was known to have a very fine cockerel, took a keen interest in the poultry Show. On one occasion he entered his cockerel in a special elaborate cage, having shampooed the cockerel’s feathers, painted his nails and put red lipstick on his comb! That fine bird was admired by all that day and other competitors felt they were outclassed. However, the judge, Miss Golden, thought differently. She pronounced the late Mrs. Flanagan’s cockerel (who had been hurriedly entered with food about his beak and muddy feet) the winner. Second prize was awarded to a cockerel many unenlightened spectators regarded as lousy. The Poultry Show is no longer a feature of Castlebridge Show as it was discontinued during the time of the Fowl Pest Disease in the 1950’s.
By 1952 the cost of printing schedules of classes was proving to be a very expensive operation. Kitty Doyle, Begerin, gallantly offered to type out all the schedules required if a typewriter was produced for her. However, no typewriter was available anywhere and the schedules were printed by the printers. It was in that year also that Castlebridge Show, on the suggestion of Kitty Doyle, introduced the running of a social on Show night. Kitty Larkin’s Band was booked to play but at the last moment the Committee was notified that the Band had broken-up and had now formed two bands, both of which wanted to play for the Social! However, Mr. Doyle’s Band was engaged and Sean Carr acted as M.C
One of Castlebridge’s oldest traditions is its annual Horticultural/Agricultural/ Home Industry Show, which is held on the second Thursday of August each year. Nothing can whet up as much enthusiasm, camaraderie, co-operation, competition, rivalry, bad-feeling and good hearty laughter as this very popular event. In short say – “there’s no business like show business”. The show comprises exhibitions of agricultural and horticultural produce, fruit, flowers, photography, baking home industry, children’s classes. Other attractions include a Baby Show and a Dog Show. This Show attracts competitors and visitors from as far afield as Counties Wicklow and Carlow and is the largest remaining Horticultural Show of its kind in Co Wexford.
It has been said that the secret of the success of Castlebridge Show, which has grown from strength to strength over the years whilst other shows collapsed, is the steadfast support of the people from the Castlebridge Parish and surrounding areas. The spirit of competition is alive and well in Castlebridge – so alive in fact that the standard of the entries increases almost every year making judging an increasingly more difficult task.
Probably more than 50% of the parishioners hadn’t even been born when Castlebridge staged its first ever Horticultural/ Agricultural Show – that was seventy years ago – 1st Thursday of September, 1940 to be precise. Only few of that first committee are alive today. Back in 1940 local gardeners from Castlebridge area, like Patsy Devereux, John Walsh and Matty Murphy Senr., were disappointed to see Screen Horticultural Show closing down and set about trying to establish a Show in Castlebridge. A committee of interested was set up (Castlebridge’s first Show Committee) and this included – Patsy Devereux, Oldtown (Chairman) John Walsh, Ballywish ( Treasurer) ; Mrs Nunn, Castlebridge (President); Mrs Bradish, Strandfield, Wexford and Mrs. Bell Rosslare ( Vice-Presidents); Mrs Doolan Castlebridge (Garda’s Wife) Secretary; also Mrs O’Brien, The Slob, Mrs. Patsy Roche, Castlebridge; Miss Lizzy (Shang) Murphy. A door-to-door campaign informing people of the proposed Show was launched by the committee. That first Show was held in the old schoolhouse (where Castlebridge Hall now stands) and comprised seventeen classes and attracted around 100 entries, mostly vegetables, flowers, brown bread, eggs, home-made butter. Judging was carried out by Mr. Billy Sweeney, Hort, Advisor with Cttee, of Agriculture, and Miss Golden, a Home Economics Teacher in Wexford. Winners included Jimmy O’Leary, Ballyboggan; Mike Doyle, Kilmisten (Hank of Onions); Johonnie Redmond, Kilmisten: John Walsh, Ballywish; Mrs O’Brien, The Slob (brown bread); Miss Walker, Tykillen (Cabbages). First Prize was the old half – crown (12 cent today); 2nd 1/6; 3rd 1/- and entry fee was six old pence. No great profit was made that year. However enthusiasm was high and the committee were anxious to chance another show in 1941.
Jimmy Murphy of Kilcorrell took over as secretary in 1941 from Mrs. Dolan, whose husband the local Garda had been transferred to another area.
The show continued throughout the 1940’s with Mr P.D. Breen, Castlebridge taking the reins as chairman in the mid-forties, a position he held for some ten years.
By 1950 Castlebridge Show was well established. The committee at that time included Mrs. Nunn, President; Rev. Fr. Brown, Vice-President; Mr. P.D. Breen, Chairman; Patrick Devereux, Vice-Chairman; John Walsh, Treasurer; Thomas Jordan, Secretary;
Mr. O’Brien; Miss L. Murphy; Miss Maria Redmond; Miss K. O’Connor; Misses Kitty and Statia Doyle; Miss A. Breen; Messrs. A. Tobin; William Neville; Ned Dalton; Sean Murphy; Sean Carr; M .Murphy; William Conroy; Seamus Brennan; Phil Redmond; Jim Murphy. Membership fee was 2/6 and the Show was held in Shortle’s Yard ( now Keating Insulation ). In that year the committee was spreading its wings and included Horse-jumping in its Show Programme. The Horse-jumping competitions were held in Jack Culleton’s field in Ballyboggan and Mrs. Nunn sponsored the Challenge Cup. This was to be won three years in succession or four years in all. A special sub-committee was set up to organise the event and collection cards were issued to fundraise it. Mr.White of Baldwinstown was the judge. However, the Horse-jumping Show was a financial failure and has never been held since. The Show faced bankruptcy that year, making an overall loss of £4. Face was saved by all the Committee members digging into their pockets and making contributions to the very needy cause!
Kathleen O’Connor was appointed Secretary in March, 1951 and remained as the Committee’s dedicated and hard-working secretary until 1978 when the current Secretary ( Breda Conroy) was elected.
The 1951 Show introduced an added attraction which was to be the highlight of the Show for many years- namely Nunns Gardedns being open to the public on Show Day.
In the late 1940,s and early 1950’s a feature of the Show which generated much interest was the Poultry Section. Cages were loaned by Committee of Agriculture to house the live fowl for the day. It was during those years that Captain Gunsten of Ardtramont Cottage, who was known to have a very fine cockerel, took a keen interest in the poultry Show. On one occasion he entered his cockerel in a special elaborate cage, having shampooed the cockerel’s feathers, painted his nails and put red lipstick on his comb! That fine bird was admired by all that day and other competitors felt they were outclassed. However, the judge, Miss Golden, thought differently. She pronounced the late Mrs. Flanagan’s cockerel (who had been hurriedly entered with food about his beak and muddy feet) the winner. Second prize was awarded to a cockerel many unenlightened spectators regarded as lousy. The Poultry Show is no longer a feature of Castlebridge Show as it was discontinued during the time of the Fowl Pest Disease in the 1950’s.
By 1952 the cost of printing schedules of classes was proving to be a very expensive operation. Kitty Doyle, Begerin, gallantly offered to type out all the schedules required if a typewriter was produced for her. However, no typewriter was available anywhere and the schedules were printed by the printers. It was in that year also that Castlebridge Show, on the suggestion of Kitty Doyle, introduced the running of a social on Show night. Kitty Larkin’s Band was booked to play but at the last moment the Committee was notified that the Band had broken-up and had now formed two bands, both of which wanted to play for the Social! However, Mr. Doyle’s Band was engaged and Sean Carr acted as M.C
