Amid the strong community spirit at the show, there is plenty of room for the competitions – and Kilkenny was well represented in this area, last Sunday.
Ballyfoyle’s Joe Maher took the reserve champion Limousin while Alannah Brennan, from Ballyragget, was the handler of the winning Red Angus animal, owned by Pat Meehan from Rathdowney.
In the Hereford Young Handler category the champion was named as Emma Parr, from Clogh.
Throughout the show there was a full programme of horse, sheep and cattle competitions, including broodmare and young horse championships and several pedigree cattle classes. Some of the top prizes were on offer i the Meadow Meats €2,000 Super Beef Championship, FBD Crossbred Belgian Blue Championship, Tirlan Gain Feed Championship and Ashbourne Meats All-Ireland Breeding Heifer Competition.
There were both pedigree and commercial sheep classes, as well as young shepherd and shepherdess competitions.
During the day there was family fun with music and entertainment as well as the popular dog show, the Working Man’s Truck Show, vintage tractor and car displays and a vintage threshing.
1. Grace and Ciara Moran celebrate as Emer Moran from Skeoughvosteen, Kilkenny, chair of the South East Limousin Society lines up Joe Maher from Ballyfoyle, Co. Kilkenny with his reserve champion Limousin for a photo at Ossory Show 2026 in The Showgrounds, Coolfin, Rathdowney, Co. Laois. Photo: Alf Harvey.
Grace and Ciara Moran celebrate as Emer Moran from Skeoughvosteen, Kilkenny, chair of the South East Limousin Society lines up Joe Maher from Ballyfoyle, Co. Kilkenny with his reserve champion Limousin for a photo at Ossory Show 2026 in The Showgrounds, Coolfin, Rathdowney, Co. Laois. | Photo: Alf Harvey
2. Handler Alannah Brennan (Ballyragget) with the winning Red Angus owned by Pat Meehan (on right) from Rathdowney at Ossory Show 2026 in The Showgrounds, Coolfin, Rathdowney, Co. Laois. Photo: Alf Harvey.
Handler Alannah Brennan (Ballyragget) with the winning Red Angus owned by Pat Meehan (on right) from Rathdowney at Ossory Show 2026 in The Showgrounds, Coolfin, Rathdowney, Co. Laois. | Photo: Alf Harvey.
3. Joe Maher from Ballyfoyle, Co. Kilkenny with his champion Limousin at Ossory Show 2026 in The Showgrounds, Coolfin, Rathdowney, Co. Laois. Photo: Alf Harvey.
Joe Maher from Ballyfoyle, Co. Kilkenny with his champion Limousin at Ossory Show 2026 in The Showgrounds, Coolfin, Rathdowney, Co. Laois. | Photo: Alf Harvey.
4. Handlers Alannah Brennan (Ballyragget) and Kayla Foley (Limerick) with the winning Red Angus owned by Pat Meehan from Rathdowney at Ossory Show 2026 in The Showgrounds, Coolfin, Rathdowney, Co. Laois. Photo: Alf Harvey.
Handlers Alannah Brennan (Ballyragget) and Kayla Foley (Limerick) with the winning Red Angus owned by Pat Meehan from Rathdowney at Ossory Show 2026 in The Showgrounds, Coolfin, Rathdowney, Co. Laois. | Photo: Alf Harvey.