MORE THAN 10,000 visitors are expected to attend the Clik Pour On All Ireland and International Sheep Shearing and Wool Handling Championships in Kilkenny over the June bank holiday weekend.
Details of the event, which will see competitors from all parts of Ireland, from Britain, Australia, New Zealand and mainland Europe, were announced yesterday in Kilkenny. Coinciding with the long-established Cats Laugh Comedy Festival, it will be held in the Cillín Hill exhibition centre.
The National Sheep Breeders Association confirmed a number of its breed societies will host All Ireland championships at the event and it is likely the young sheep farmer competition will also be staged there, too.
The organisers predict the championships will be a massive revenue-spinner in tourism terms for the southeast and surrounding counties. The two-day festival will also be a major showcase for trade, craft and food exhibitors as the organisers are offering exhibition space at affordable rates.
Michael Nolan, chairman of the organising committee, said the focus would be on helping craft exhibitors and indigenous artisan producers showcase their goods, without spending a fortune.
“It is going to be one of the biggest sheep, wool and cultural festivals ever staged in Ireland and we expect surrounding counties such as Carlow, Wexford, Waterford, Laois, Tipperary and Kildare will get a significant bounce in terms of revenue spin-off,” he added.
The Irish Farmers’ Association president John Bryan said the championships would attract farmers from all over the country.
“Higher lamb prices and additional direct payments have helped restore confidence to the sheep sector,” he added. “It is essential that the strong lamb prices in 2010 are continued into 2011.”
Earlier this week meat plants paid sheep farmers up to 600c/kg for the first spring lamb of the year.