Show decision held off for now
Patrick suspects that if it is called off for a second successive year, the Show Committee will rise to any challenges in getting it back off the ground.
The Chairman of the Virginia Show says a final decision on whether the popular event will go ahead in 2021 is unlikely to be made until June.
Last year should have been the Virginia Show’s 79th event. However it was cancelled for only the second time in its illustrious history. The only time it was previously cancelled was due to foot and mouth in 2001.
“We will wait to see how the vaccine works out,” said Patrick. “And when this lockdown is over, we will see how the numbers of Covid cases turns out, but I wouldn’t be too hopeful of it taking place because of the numbers we have attending it - I just can’t see it.”
The show, which typically attracts over 10,000 people, is scheduled for the third Wednesday of August, which this year falls on August 18 - still seven months away, so the Show Committee have time on their side, and Patrick Gaynor was eager to give it every chance of happening.
The decision was taken out of the organising committee’s hands last year as they followed the government guidelines and advice from the Irish Shows Association.
“We will probably go with whatever advice the Shows Association give,” said Patrick. “Maybe shows at the end of the year might have a run, it’s hard to know.”
Last year the decision was announced with a Facebook post on April 16 with the send off: ‘We’ll see you all back at Virginia Show in 2021 for an even better show.’ Few would have imagined last spring that the pandemic would have cast doubt over this summer’s show.
Patrick suspects that if it is called off for a second successive year, the Show Committee will rise to any challenges in getting it back off the ground.
“I would think Virginia Show is in a good enough place – it is an established and fairly big show for this end of the country. I’d say with the sponsors we have, we would be able to get it up and running again. It will take a big effort, but the committee that’s there, they will have no problem doing that.”