2024 Blue Jean Country Queen Alannah Finnegan from Cavan (centre) pictured with (left) Sarah Byrne (Wexford, 2nd Prize) and (right), Gillian Donnellan (Clare, 3rd Prize). Photo: Grace Halton.

Cavan claims Blue Jean Country Queen crown for first time

Noelle Finegan

Published: Thu 6 Jun 2024, 10:47 AM

Alannah Finnegan, a data analyst who speaks Italian and Portuguese was named 2024 Blue Jean Country Queen in Athboy last weekend, becoming the first woman from Cavan to claim the title.

The 26-year-old is a member of the Three Province Macra na Feirme club which was only established in 2020. The second prize went to Wexford's Sarah Byrne, a drama teacher and farmer, who received €500 from Turmec Recycling. Third place went to Grace Donellan, a student from Clare who received €300 from Farrelly Tree Care.

Throughout the weekend, Alannah and her 21 fellow 'queens' took part in a hectic and fun-filled weekend which saw them do everything from taking part in a pub crawl and on-stage interviews,to playing fancy dress football, attending a barbecue with main sponsors, Athboy Credit Union and singing karaoke with the festival organisers and judges.

The festival began on Friday, 31st May with the queens taking a trip to Causey Farm where they took part in a team-building exercise that saw them bake bread, dance, and spend time with puppies, horses and alpacas on the farm. This was followed by the festival's official opening in the Darnley Lodge Hotel and a pub crawl that brought the queens on a tour of the town.

The real hard work began Saturday with private interviews with judges Miss Macra 1990 Catherine Flood, Annika Heinemann, a communications expert working in the arts and culture sector, and returning community representative Maeve Lalor.

Alannah and all the other queens then spent their day at the Athboy Credit Union's barbecue and fun day before heading to Floods Bar to sing some karaoke. That evening they had the McNamara Feeds Queens' Interviews hosted by iRadio's Conor Woods in front of a crowded Darnley Lodge Hotel before partying the night away with Rhythm and Sticks.

On Sunday morning, the queens gathered at the Darnley Lodge Hotel to prepare for a game of Barbenheimer-themed fancy dress football with each queen dressed as a character from 2023's two biggest movies. The match served as the opening event to an afternoon of family fun at the Hora Homes Lark in the Park fun day that included live music, children's races, a petting zoo, puppes shows and the Meath Farm Machinery Ltd Toy Tractor Run. After that it was off to the gala banquet and once the winners were announced, the queens danced the night away to The Druids.

Alannah Finnegan raises her new trophy high in the air as she is crowned 2024 Blue Jean Country Queen as Helen Hughes (Chairperson, Athboy Credit Union) and Martin Flood (2024 Blue Jean Country Queen Festival Secretary) look on. Photo: Grace Halton.

Reflecting on the festival, 2024 Blue Jean Country Queen Alannah Finnegan said: “It's been unbelievable. The town has been so welcoming, and the weekend was so relaxed!” She hopes to use her platform to help Cavan Macra na Feirme grow and expand. She also hopes to keep in touch with all the friends she made over the weekend. “I've visited all 32 counties in the last year but I'll be visiting all 32 again to see all the lovely queens I've met this weekend!” said Alannah.