The Irish Game And Country Fair

The Fair is one of two Great Game Fairs Of Ireland. It and its partner Fair the Irish Game Fair (and Country Lifestyle Festival) at Shanes Castle have demonstrated that the way forward for successful Irish Game Fairs is the organising and delivering of an event with wide family appeal for those who live work or play in the Irish countryside.

Now coming into its seventh year under the management of the Great Game Fairs of Ireland team the fair has grown rapidly and is now recognised as the ROI's national game fair.

The organising team has a fine history and pedigree of delivering successful quality events and of course, Birr Castle has a superb record of hosting quality events. This combination should ensure that the Irish Game and Country Fair continues to be an outstanding success and justifies its billing as one of the two Great Game Fairs of Ireland.

When the members of the organising team launched the first major Irish Game Fair in 1978 their objectives included promoting the importance of countrysports, farming and conservation interests working together for the preservation of the Irish countryside and the rural way of life.

Thirty Five years on that objective is, if anything more relevant, as the whole rural way of life if not threatened with government legislation or interference with tradition, is threatened with habitat destruction. There is the need for a strong unified voice to promote balance within the countryside amongst land users such as farming, building, country sports, conservation and tourism interests.

It is considered that the Great Game Fairs of Ireland concept, with Fairs North and South, is the vehicle that can help promote and defend what is best in the Irish Countryside. With the support of the Irish Countrysports and Country Life magazine and the www.countrysportsandcountrylife.com web portal and online magazine, it is envisaged that the two fairs can play a crucial role in preserving the Irish countryside and its rural traditions while at the same time promoting rural business and tourism.

The Best Fair for the Visitor

What distinguishes the two Great Game Fairs of Ireland from other game and country Fairs that have sprung up in different parts of Ireland is the fact that the experienced organisers whilst not forgetting tradition continue to innovate by introducing new attractions and events more relevant to new generations and a family audience. Unlike other fairs they also invest a great deal back into the prize structure of the competitions ensuring that the competitions at the Great Game Fairs of Ireland have a prize structure comparable with or better than the major UK events. This marketing flair has been recognised by the Northern Fair being a warded the prestigious Northern Ireland Tourist Board Marketing Excellence Award.

Thus while the Fairs have the widest range of attractions, activities and the finest competitions to interest the most discerning hunting, shooting and fishing enthusiasts, the events are not just aimed at the traditional Game Fair attendance.

In addition to the traditional Game Fair attractions, the fairs have a huge range of entertaining and educational activities, displays and attractions to interest anyone who lives works or plays in the Irish countryside. In Birr Castle the Irish Game And Country Fair has a venue with virtually as many in situ attractions as it brings. www.birrcastle.com

Apart from the entertainment and educational objectives the two Great Game Fairs of Ireland have hard commercial objectives both for the brand and for their exhibitors. i.e. to create two Fairs in Ireland of the size, scope and stature of the best Fairs in the UK and Europe and to deliver the two best shop windows for rural products and services in Ireland.

The Best Fair for the Exhibitor

Why are these Fairs the GREATEST in Ireland?
Because they have:

• The most experienced and professional organising team having delivered successful events for 30 years working on a true all Ireland basis
• The most creative and innovative organising team - where we lead others follow
• Committed organisation by experienced and dedicated country sports people
• The best traditional Game Fair venues on beautiful estates
• Central locations in Northern Ireland and the ROI
• The largest attendances in all weathers
• The best competitions with the best prize structure
• The widest range of attractions
• The biggest and most effective advertising and promotional spend
• The sponsorship of top local media
• The support of Ireland's premier and largest circulation country sports magazine Irish Countrysports and Country Life
• Their own dedicated and networked web sites with high web ratings
• The support of www.countrysportsandcountrylife.com Ireland's country sports web portal
• The support of the major country sports and angling organisation

These are not just claims made by the organisers they are supported by the fact that the Northern Fair won the Northern Ireland Tourist Board Marketing excellence award and the delivery of tourism and other economic benefits to the areas in which they are located and the whole of Ireland has been acclaimed by government ministers from both the North & South of Ireland.