Entertainment Galore at Moynalty Steam Threshing

Sean McMahon

The eagerly awaited 44th annual Moynalty Steam Threshing event will take place on Sunday, August 11 in the heart of the picturesque village. The sights and sounds at the grounds of the Moynalty Stream Threshing Museum and parkland promise to transport the thousands of spectators back to a bygone era.

Steam Threshing Committee PRO Ronan Gaynor told The Anglo-Celt that it is all systems go for this highly popular event. “There seems to be a huge interest in it this year,” he enthused.

There will be a big welcome for a group from Dorset who will return to the County Meath village to give a road building display. This was a massive crowd pleaser last year and entails a re-enactment of how roads were made over a century ago. Ronan Gaynor revealed that there will also be a big ‘Showman’s Engine’ on site, also from Dorset. The beautifully painted engines were steam-powered, road-going ‘locomotive’ designed to provide power and transport for a travelling funfair or circus. It will no doubt be a real crowd pleaser when it chugs into action.

As the big day draws near the excitement is clearly building.

“Four steam engines arrived earlier in the week from Stradbally. The corn was cut last Friday and is ready for threshing. The various attractions will be arriving for the rest of the week and we are ready to cater for them all,” said Ronan.

Music

There will be music and craic all day long and it will be a magical day for county music fans with a brilliant line-up of artists. The vivacious Cliona Hagan takes to the stage at 2pm and then Chantelle Padden will perform from 4-5pm and the brilliant Mike Denver will be performing from 5-7.30pm.

The festivities will start on this Saturday afternoon, August 10 with a vintage charity tractor run. A new feature this year is a Steam engine road run, which will depart the village at 2pm. On return those participating in the run will be led back into the village by Corduff Pipe Band. This is guaranteed to be a warm and friendly social occasion for all ages.

The Steam Threshing Committee have arranged displays of vanishing work practices and food production can be seen along-side craft making and vintage displays.

Horse and steam power, reaping and binding, threshing and flailing and traditional crafts such as basket weaving, steel forging, hot shoeing, tin craft, wood turning and harness making will all be showcased.

Local ladies will give demonstrations on butter making at a full size replica cottage. Brown bread, colcannon, boxty and pancakes will all be cooked on the open fires to taste and for sale.

The children will be well entertained by the amusements on site and can visit the many farm animals on the old style farm yard or enter their dog in the dog show.

The Irish Lumberjack show is a great attraction and features a display of fearless skills of wood-chopping, pole-climbing, chainsaw racing.

The gates open at 9am and there is ample free parking. Tickets available online. For more, check them out on Facebook or Instagram.