Athy Show Programme 1953

The County Kildare Agricultural Show which was an annual event in the Showgrounds, Athy has not been held for the last few years. I understand that it will not be held this year due to an insufficient number of volunteers on the organising committee. It’s a huge disappointment given the initial success of the show which was organised in the 1950s and later by Athy Show Society. The history of the Athy Show goes back many decades before that. An earlier disruption of the annual show schedule led to the reorganisation of the Society, with Leonard Craig as the Society’s new Secretary. I don’t have to hand any information of when the organising occurred, but before me is the 1953 Athy Show programme. That year’s show was held at Athy Showgrounds on Thursday, 9th July from 10am to 6pm. The Show Society’s Secretary in 1953 was Ivan Bergin of Maybrook, whose father J.J. Bergin, founder of the National Ploughing Association, was one of the 14 vice presidents of the society. The Society’s President was the Marquess of Kildare, while the local parish priest, Archdeacon McDonnell, was the sole patron. The Chairman was Michael Byrne, veterinary surgeon, with Charles Chambers and Michael Cunningham as joint Treasurers. The executive committee of the Athy Show Society consisted of 26 members representing a roll call of the most prominent business people in the town. Members of the Show Society made up 3 pages of the 1953 programme, amounting to almost 120 names headed by local industrial firms including Irish Wallboard Ltd. and I.V.I. Foundry. Notable names included amongst the membership listed were the Duchess of Westminister and Prince Aly Khan, while service during World War II no doubt accounted for two Lieutenant Colonels and several Majors who were also listed. Advertisements in that programme of 71 years ago threw up some interesting names of businesses and individuals which will probably not be familiar to the present generation. The Leinster Arms Hotel ‘fully licensed and with garage accommodation’ was managed by Miss P. Anglim. Hers is a name I have never before come across. Duthie Large Ltd. were main dealers for Ferguson tractors, as well as Massey Harris Bailers and Combines, while nearby neighbours Corcoran & Co. of Carlow were self-declared ‘champions for 125 years’ in the production of mineral waters. M. O’Brien advertised the Nags Head, Athy described as a ‘wholesale and family grocer, tea, wine, spirit and provision merchant’ while acting as official licensee to the Athy Show. Glespen Brothers Athy were ‘land and road trailer manufacturers’, while R.H. Meredith of Ballintubbert was agent for Claas Combines in counties Kildare, Carlow, Leix and North Kildare. Jacksons of 58 Leinster St., Athy were authorised distributors for Aga cookers, as well as advertising the Hillman Minx saloon for £550, a convertible coupe for £625 and the Commer Utility for £580. They described these models as ‘nippy in traffic and easy to park, with superlative riding comfort over all surfaces.’ Jacksons were also authorised dealers for Aga cookers, while J. Fleming’s sawmills looked after everyone’s needs in terms of gates, ladders and hay carts. The earlier mentioned I.V.I. Foundry was part of Industrial Vehicles (Ireland) Ltd. which were main Morris dealers, while Maxwells Garage were main dealers for Volkswagon cars and vans. John O’Gorman had his main Ford and Fordson dealership in Crookstown, while Shaw & Sons Ltd., ‘Agents for all makes of radio and electrical appliances’ were even then the leading retail drapers in Athy. Michael Anthony, The Square, Athy, Auctioneer and Valuer, was contactable by phone at Athy 16. The industrial exhibition which formed part of the Athy Show included the following Athy businesses: Burtown Nurseries, Shaw & Sons Ltd., Mr. M. Kelly of Leinster Street, Jackson Brothers, I.V.I. Foundry, Doyle Brothers, Irish Wallboard, Messrs Hutchinson & Hay who were Electrical Appliance Dealers, Willie Large of Rheban Castle exhibiting rowing and motor boats, Duthie Larges, R.H. Meredith, Pearsons Luggacurran, Glespen Brothers, John O’Gorman and Patrick Hennessy of Bray garage. The show and the industrial exhibition ended with a show dance in a marquee in the Showgrounds that same night, with music provided by Brose Walsh, with catering by Miss C. Lawlor of Portarlington. Admission twelve shillings and six pence, while the programme itself cost one shilling. What was originally called ‘The Athy Show’ evolved over time to become the County Kildare Agricultural Show. It’s rather a pity that the annual show which was an enjoyable part of the town’s summer events is on hold while awaiting another possible revival. Let’s hope that this happens in time for next year’s show. Honor McCulloch, a benefactor and friend of Athy Heritage Centre and the Shackleton Museum, died during the past week. Honor first contacted me several years ago regarding her willingness to donate a vintage motor car to the Heritage Centre. The car was then on loan to a Transport Museum in England. We corresponded and eventually met resulting in the vintage car being brought across the Irish Sea to be permanently exhibited in Athy’s Heritage Centre. Honor soon thereafter came to live in Athy and made many welcome contributions to the development of the Centre. I intend to write at a later date of Honor’s role in the development of the Heritage Centre/Museum and her timeless work in maintaining St. John’s Cemetery here in Edmund Rice Square.