Two All Ireland champs crowned in home industries tent

Arva Show

Two new All Ireland winners were crowned in the crafts marquee at the Arva Show on Sunday afternoon.

Galway’s Peadar Doyle claimed the All Ireland Junior Craft Championship. This was a Lego building competition, where competitors had to build an agricultural scene from their imagination, rather than one of the kits.

“It took more than a week to do,” reported a very happy young Peadar.

He had entered the competition in Galway with a different creation for which he won third. Trying again, Peadar upped his game and came first in Granard Show to qualify for the finals in Arva.

Peadar Doyle, who earlier that week had attended his second Lego Camp of the summer.

“My dad bought stuff online - Lego pieces and then we put them together. We got a battery pack and wires to make it electric.”

The Lego farm boasted electric lights, which his Dad Gavin - who is originally from Arva - repurposed from a Home Alone kit.

The Lego had to have an agricultural component.

Moyne Community School art teacher Jennifer Berry was tasked with picking the winners in the Lego section. The Drumlish native, who now lives in Arva was happy with her decision saying his work was “brilliant”.

“If you look closely you can see it has different sections in it depending on the livestock. It has Kiernan’s Mill on it, and the lovely tree in the background,” says Jennifer saying she was impressed by Peadar’s “individuality”.

When Leeann Minihan won the The All Ireland Home Preserves Championship jam making prize she was visibly moved. It was actually her second time to go up for a presentation because her nephew - William O’Keeffe from County Tipperary coincidentally took second place in the Junior Craft Championship. Leeann held her mobile while William watched on through video as she received the prize from sponsor Ray Brady.

“This is a first,” remarked Ray cheerfully.

“I entered last year for the first time and I came third, so I decided to come back and try again to qualify this year,” said the Limerick woman, visibly moved by the success.

“I’m shaking!”

Leeann grows fruit at home and to make use of her crop she began making jam “for the craic” around a decade ago.

“I look after my nephews and nieces and my brother, so I’m at home a lot and make jam, because - sure what else are you supposed to do during the summer?”

Jam judge Catherine Gallagher was impressed by the quality of Leeann’s preserves, saying she was consistent across all three categories - stoned fruit, soft fruit and marmalade.

“The most important thing is taste” said the Sligo woman with over 20 years of preserve judging experience.

“The winning jam had lovely flavour in the three pots, the colour looked good,” Catherine enthused.