Steam Threshing Festival expected to bring 20,000 to Moynalty

Up to 20,000 people are expected to attend the 35th annual Steam Threshing Festival which will take place in Moynalty on Sunday 8th August next. The chairman of Meath Tourism, Cllr John V Farrelly, officially launched the festival at the Steam Threshing Museum in the north Meath village last week. Peter Gaynor, chairman of the Steam Threshing Committee, welcomed the large crowd who turned up for the launch, which featured a cheese and wine reception and music by the Durkin family. A special presentation was made to Mattie O'Brien to mark his involvement in the festival since its inception and his recent 95th birthday. The entire festival is run by voluntary community effort and the committee is hoping for an even bigger and better festival than ever before this year. New events this year include a dog show and a tracto- building competition. The festival is a celebration of horse and steam power surrounded by vintage displays, trading stalls, crafts, face painting, sideshows, funfair, music and dancing. Country living of bygone years are uniquely presented and re-enacted in a series of demonstrations and displays. Gates will open from 10am and the festival continues from 12 noon until 6pm. Admission is €10 for adults and there is no charge for children under 12. There are acres of free parking on the site. Exhibitors of veteran tractors, steam engines, cars, horse drawn machinery and stationery engines will travel from all over the country for the event. In the cornfield, the oats will be harvested by horse-drawn reaper and binder. The exhibition of threshing by steam engines, horse, flail and tractor will be the centrepiece of the afternoon. At the thatched cottage on the hill, many traditional crafts will be demonstrated. On the hobs, pancakes, brown bread, boxty and colcannon will be cooked with samples for eating and buying. Delicious roast pig can also be sampled. Anthony Clinton will be MC and Dessie Hynes will provide music at the dancing deck. There will be a water wheel and mud turf-making on the bank of the river. There will be farm animals, poultry and piglets, as well as a thrilling fairground.