Plenty of Limerick interest in festival of threshing this weekend

SCENES from the traditional autumn harvesting will be recreated this Sunday, October 2 when the annual harvest threshing festival takes place at Ahern’s bar, Ballymackeogh, Newport.

It was the ploughing last week and now it is time for the threshing!

The one-day festival which has been taking place for decades and decades is reminiscent of harvest time on many of the farms in the area half a century ago when the visit of the threshing mill to the farms to thrash the corn was a common practice.

The Ahern family, where the festival now takes place, were involved in the provision of the service in the area for many years and one of the old threshing mills used at that time has been carefully restored and will be in use on Sunday afternoon for the continuation of the festival.

Teresa Ahern, proprietor of the pub, said there will be a large display of working machinery on display as well as vintage tractors and cars. It all kicks off at 2pm.

A tractor run in aid of the day care centre will descend on the festival to add to the atmosphere having left Lee’s pub earlier. Children haven’t been forgotten about either with free bouncy castles in situ.

The pub will also be busy with Jimmy Joe playing music from 6pm to 9pm and complimentary food.

So for a trip down memory lane back to simpler times the harvest threshing festival could be for you.

All are welcome to attend.