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Directions
To get directions to the Birr Fair from your home location go to: http://maps.google.co.uk/. You can then get the best route including driving times from your own town/city.

Please ignore the entries concerning the Fair at Moira – the organisers of this event appear to have difficulty in promoting their own brand names and appear to wish to tap into ours! Please do not be confused by this. There are only two Great Game Fairs of Ireland – the Irish Game Fair at Shanes Castle, Antrim – now indisputably Ireland's largest and most successful Game Fair and the Irish Game and Country Fair at Birr Castle, Co Offaly – certainly the ROI’s largest Game or Country Fair.

IRISH GAME AND COUNTRY FAIR 22nd/23rd August 2009
MAIN ARENA PROGRAMME sponsored by IFA COUNTRYSIDE

Saturday 22nd August 2009
10.30 hrs Cochise Horses
11.00 hrs Fly Casting Demonstration by Glenda Powell
11.30 hrs Parade of Gundogs
12.00 hrs Pikes & Guns BOT/WOT
12.30 hrs Terrier and Lurcher Racing by the Mid Antrim Terrier and Lurcher Club
13.00 hrs Keith Mathews The Dog Whisperer
13.40 hrs Fly Casting Display by Glenda Powell
14.00 hrs Falconry Display by Prince Bishop Falconry
14.40 hrs Pikes & Guns BOT/WOT
15.10 hrs The Horse Whisperer & Cochise Horses
15.30 hrs Keith Mathews the Dog Whisperer
16.10 hrs Parade of Gundogs
16.40 hrs Horse & Hound Display
17.00 hrs Carriage Driving Display

Sunday 23rd August 2009
10.30 hrs Cochise Horses
11.00 hrs Parade of Gundogs
11.20 hrs Casting Display by Glenda Powell
11.40 hrs Pikes & Guns from BOT/WOT
12.00 hrs Free Flying Falconry Display
12.30 hrs Terrier and Lurcher Racing by the Mid Antrim Terrier and Lurcher Club
13.00 hrs Keith Mathews the Dog Whisperer
13.40 hrs Horse and Hound Display
13.50 hrs Horse Whisperer – Cochise Horses
14.20 hrs Casting Display by Glenda Powell
15.00 hrs Parade of Gundogs
15.30 hrs Free Flying Falconry Display
16.10 hrs Keith Mathews – the Dog Whisperer
17.00 hrs Carriage Driving Display

Please Note : Additional acts and changes to timings will be announced in the programme and by the main arena announcer.

Continous Events:

Medieval & Living History Encampment & Village: This year's fair will provide an exciting and interactive living history village featuring two periods in rural life i.e. the medieval period with knights in armour, an armoury, a cook site, fabric crafts, bone carving, armour making (chain mail), barber surgeon, leather worker and silver smith organised by the Fingal Living History Society while the English group the Best of Times, Worst of Times will put on a complete Elizabethan Household with crafts and household activities of that period plus a pike and musketry display in the main arena. The Limerick Bowmen will also be in costume and give displays of period longbow archery.
Traction Engines and vintage vehicles
Country Sports All the major countrysports bodies will be there to give advice and information.
Gundog Competitions (Saturday): Massbrook Kennels International Spaniel Test (Saturday) and Massbrook Pet Foods National Novice and Open Spaniel Tests organized by the ESS Club of Ireland. Av Novice Retriever & Minor Breeds Working Tests organized by the Irish Water Spaniel Club including the Barbour All Ireland Game Fair Novice Retriever Handling Championships.
Gundog Competitions (Sunday): Massbrook Kennels International Retriever Test and Massbrook Kennels AV Retriever Open Test organized by the Broadmeadows Gundog Club.
World of Gundogs Pavilion and parades: Both days
Terriers & Lurchers – Irish Countrysports and Country Life and ROI Terrier and Lurcher Championships (Sunday); main arena displays both days.
Ferret Display: display by Ireland's "Mr Ferreter" Tony Carinduff.
Static & Free Flying Falconry Displays: by the Prince Bishop Medieval Falconry team and the Irish Hawking Club.
Clay Pigeon Shooting (sponsored by Ardee Sports) and organized by Derrinsallow Shoot - Game Fair Championships; Sporting Shooting both days plus Flush
Have a Go Archery & Air Rifle Shooting Both days.
Angling: Game Fair Casting Competitions organized by Glenda Powell (sponsored by Dunfly Tackle).
Childrens Entertainment Area: Quads, Bouncey Castles, Climbing Walls etc

PLUS Birr Castle Gardens, Courtyard café and Science Museum are all open free of charge.

PLEASE NOTE THE CASTLE IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Ireland's Real Game Fairs