New Arva Show secretary paves way for agri women as popular event celebrates 65 years

Irish women have always been involved in agriculture, providing often unseen support to the thousands of men toiling fields across the country since time immemorial.

From family care duties to managing financial accounts and mucking in during lambing season, women are the janes of all trades of the agricultural world. And, now more than ever, women are taking front-and-centre leadership roles in their families, farms and communities in every county in Ireland.

Twenty six year old Alannah Finnegan is one such woman.

The Cavan native is a rising star in the agricultural community, having taken on the role of Secretary of the popular Arva Agricultural Show just last year. Although she’s new to the position, she and her family have been immersed in the show’s culture and community for decades.

“My family has been involved in the Arva Show for a long time,” she revealed. “My grandfather got me involved in meetings and my uncles were kind of keen on getting me involved.
“The previous secretary had done the job for thirteen years so he was kind of ready to step back, and they asked me if I’d do it and I said I’d take on the role and see. If I can get even half of the thirteen years, I’ll be doing well. We’ll [aim for] ten!”
The event - which hosts a wide range of trade stands, crafters, food producers and classes for the whole family - boasts a large number of young volunteers, something Alannah believes is welcomed by the older generation.

“I think we are very lucky that we have a lot of youth members, [it’s] probably one of the largest youth member shows in the country,” she said. “So even [sic] our animal welfare officers, our youth members that have done their agricultural degrees, and the older members are happy to see them coming along and being able to pass the baton over to let them take it easy and enjoy the show as well.”

In her role as Secretary, Alannah - who is one of three women on the twelve-person Arva Show committee - is one of the youngest people in any agricultural event in the country to take on such a position of importance.
“There’s me and one other Secretary that I know of that’s kind of 25 or 26 and the two of us would be the youngest.”
She credited her training as a data analyst as a helpful foundation for dealing with the technological aspects of her new role.
“My job as a data analyst is helpful for the online system that we have with the entries and that, it’s a lot of time on the computers.”

Although agriculture often involves a lot more work than play, the social fabric of the community is changing slowly but surely, particularly with the popularity of rural youth organisations like Macra na Feirme.
Alannah - who is a member of the Three Province Macra na Feirme club - was recently crowned the Blue Jeans Country Queen over the June bank holiday weekend, an experience she described as “excellent”.
“It was a great weekend. You know, [I met] lovely girls from all over the country. Hopefully we might have a few of them down at the show this year as well. More of the local ones, they're hoping to come up.

“I'll be wearing the sash now on the show day!”
According to Alannah, more and more women are getting involved in the agricultural shows, and not just in stereotypical ways.
“There's lots of young girls showing cattle and showing sheep and horses as well. So there's lots of girls participating in the show, even outside of the home industries and I suppose the kind of traditional classes.”

A best dressed man and woman will be crowned on the day, but although the winners will take home coveted fashion vouchers, attendees shouldn’t expect the kind of extravagance events like Punchestown are known for.
“There’s a most appropriately dressed [contest], to be conscious of the weather,” she explained. “The most appropriately dressed man and woman. I don’t think there’ll be any fascinator hats!”

This year’s Arva Show - which is in its 65th year and takes place in the Showfield adjacent to Arva town on Sunday July 28. Attendees can choose from dozens of entertainment options, including a wide variety of trade stands, live music, a crafts and foodie marquee, falconry displays and sheepdog demonstrations, as well as a Bonny Baby Competition, free kids fun zone, and a viewing of the All-Ireland Final on a large outdoor screen at 3.30pm on the day.

Although Alannah agrees there is something for everyone at the event, she also wants to see the show grow even bigger in the coming years.
“I’d like to see different classes brought in [even more focused] towards sustainability, I’d love to see things maybe like a display of honeybees, we have some honey producers in the area. It’d be great to see things like that incorporated into competitions as well.

“If we could get jiving competitions in Arva as well, that’s always a good attraction for people.”
Alannah is hard at work in the lead-up to the show - “The phone’s ringing off the hook!” - but she is very much excited for the big day to arrive.

“I really look forward to seeing the homecraft tent when there’s flowers all lined up along one wall,” she said, “You have all the photographs from places around the world and, you know, picturesque places in Ireland as well. And then you have the home bacon and all the good smells that come in with that in the centre of the tent as well.”
We can practically hear the sizzle!