30,000 throng Moynalty to let off some steam

Up to 30,000 people converged in Moynalty on Sunday for the village's annual Steam Threshing Festival, which saw five threshing mills and four steam engines working throughout the day. One of the country's leading steam threshing and working machines show, the colourful festival in Meath's tidiest village saw country living of bygone years re-enacted in a series of demonstrations and display. The steam engines billowing smoke and steam high into the air attracted significant attention and there was an extraordinary exhibition of vintage tractors and farm machinery, horses, steam engines and horse drawn machinery from all over the country. A tinsmith from the Navan Travellers Workshop proved a huge hit with the crowd and among the many attractions on view were crafts, music and dance, trading stalls, side shows, face-painting, a dog show, funfair and a tractor build event. The cornfield was thronged as people watched six acres of barley being cut and the threshing by steam, horse, flail and tractor. The buttermilk, boxty and roast pig sold out very quickly and the ladies in the tearoom were kept very busy all day. The dancing deck and traditional music proved very popular and a mock wedding staged by the Dunderry troupe proved highly entertaining. There was also a lot of interest in the dog show, which was sponsored by Meath County Council. The farm museum was packed all day and there was a good deal of interest in the displays by the blacksmith, tinsmith and wool spinning. Animals of all shapes, breeds and sizes were on display and there was a water-wheel and mud turf-making on the bank of the river and all sorts of fairground attractions for children. All proceeds from the festival go towards worthy causes. The entire event is run by voluntary community effort and 150 local violuneers helped to keep the entire day's proceedings running very smoothly. Members of the local community were out in force again on Monday morning as a major clean-up began. Local children were among those out picking litter to ensure the village was back in its pristine condition by Monday evening. Sean Sheridan of the festival committee thanked everyone who helped out in any way by working at the event or giving sponsorship, and particularly the gardai, stewards and the ladies who operated the tearooms. He said the committee would shortly be turning their attention to plans for next year's festival.