UK and Ireland Surge for All Ireland Irish Game Fair at Shanes Castle – as Ireland’s premier country sports event promises to be even bigger!
Interest from all quarters in the Irish Game Fair planned for Shane’s Castle, on the 27th &28th June 2020 is almost double compared to this time last year, according to the organisers.
Albert Titterington, a Downpatrick businessman, who heads up Country Lifestyles Exhibitions Ltd, the team behind the award winning event, said that unlike last year and the Brexit uncertainty, this year has seen a huge surge of interest from exhibitors – and the general public – from across Ireland the UK.
He said: “We are now looking at potentially the biggest countrysports’ event ever held in the country. First and foremost, we are the ONLY game fair of its type anywhere in Ireland, and it is a huge incentive for traders and entrepreneurs to ‘get on board.’
“We have deferred our sister game fair in the Republic of Ireland until 2021. This deferral along with the reported cancellation of the only other country sports event of any real size in Northern Ireland now sees Shane’s Castle as the ONLY event of its type in Ireland.
“Accordingly, we are determined that the public will have the ‘Shanes Castle Fair of Fairs’ this year. We have an unequalled countryside site within the historical estate of Shane’s Castle, a magnificent backdrop for the hundreds of quality trade stands and the many thousands who visit over two days.
“And mindful of tough trading opportunities for traders here and further afield, we are going out of our way to ensure that they have every opportunity to come along to Shanes Castle, including special ferry rates from the UK and special accommodation rates for visitors..
“Every year we innovate by offering the public new country events, attractions and displays. We have something for all the family, from a magnificent display of the largest number of working donkeys ever at a game fair, to the thrill of jousting knights, traditional horse drawn transport and farm vehicles to the bang and flash of battle with our historical battle re-enactments with marching bands.
“This year we will have the biggest prize pots in Irish Game Fair history for countryside competitions, dog shows and much more that anyone can enter and I shall announce more details later.”
Albert Titterington added: “I’m proud that the Country Lifestyle Exhibitions Ltd team have led the way in promoting Irish country sports since we launched the Game Fair concept in Ireland in 1978. We will see our 67th such event at Shanes Castle this summer an unbroken run unequalled anywhere in the game fair world.”
Along the way the Fair has collected numerous national and international awards including four awards including two TourismNI ones in 2019.
Finally Albert Titterington said: “Ever since the very first game fair in Ireland, we receive unequalled support from country sports enthusiasts and the general public everywhere.
“That is why we have launched a free car sticker that sums it up by saying ‘WE ARE PROUD OF IRISH COUNTRY SPORTS. You can see how to get one on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/irishgamefairs/“
The Fair is supported by TourismNI and Antrim & Newtownabbey Council.
For further details see: www.irishgamefair.com
E: irishgamefair@btinternet.com
T: 028 (from ROI 048) 44839167
