Tullamore Show: All You Need To Know

The 35th edition of the show takes place on Sunday.

Up to 80,000 people are expected to attend one of Europe's biggest one day agri events in Offaly this weekend.

The Tullamore Show returns to the Butterfield Estate in Blueball on Sunday.

This year's show marks the 35th anniversary of Ireland's premier one day livestock show.

Here's all you need to know:

The Showgrounds open to the public from 8.30am.

Stalls:

There will be 700 trade stands for the agri sector, home industries, farm produce, innovation and forestry.

Besides the farming, there's plenty about rural life to celebrate.

Fashion as ever will be a major theme with the bonny baby competition kicking off the style stakes at 10.30am.

Prizes will be up for grabs for the Most Appropriately Dressed man and lady along with the traditional farmer competition.

Jiving will be the order of the day at the Show's band stand.

The inaugural jive competition offers €250 euro to the winning pair, registration opens at 1pm lunchtime by the main stage.

The Sustainable Livestock Village returns for its fourth year, providing farmers with practical advice, demonstrations and farmer-led discussions focused on improving sustainability and resilience on Irish livestock farms.

A key theme of this year's Sustainable Livestock Village will be the International Year of the Woman Farmer, recognising the vital contribution women make to Irish agriculture while highlighting the importance of generational renewal. Through expert discussions, practical demonstrations and farmer-led conversations, the programme will explore how the sector can continue to support the next generation of farmers and encourage greater participation, leadership and innovation across Irish agriculture.

The Village brings together organisations from across the agri-food sector under one roof, creating a one-stop destination where farmers can engage directly with experts and fellow farmers on topics including water quality, climate action, animal performance, biodiversity, farm succession and generational renewal.

In addition to ongoing partner organisations, this year the National Dairy Council and the Agri-Food Regulator join the Sustainable Livestock Village for the first time, further strengthening the Village's role as a collaborative hub where farmers can access information, advice and support from across the agri-food sector.

The 2026 programme will feature a range of interactive displays, livestock demonstrations and expert-led discussions, including sessions on enhancing water quality and biodiversity, supporting generational renewal, driving sustainable animal performance and sustainable farm planning. Visitors will also have the opportunity to explore practical examples of how sustainable farming practices can deliver both environmental and economic benefits on farm.

Participating organisations include the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Bord Bia, Teagasc, Animal Health Ireland, ICBF, FBD, Irish Farmers Journal, Macra na Feirme, Meat Industry Ireland, National Dairy Council and the Agri-Food Regulator.

Live and interactive farm safety demonstrations will be available from 10am at stand L105. The initiative offers hands-on, practical demonstrations with the aim of helping to reduce the number of accidents involving farm vehicles, machinery, and livestock.

This year’s Farm Safety Live demonstrations is a collaboration between FRS Training, FBD Insurance, and the HSA in conjunction with the Tullamore Show. At the event, experts from FRS Training will provide hands-on demonstrations focusing on livestock handling, PTO safety, chainsaw operations and advice for working at heights.

One of the new demonstrations available this year is a new bale stacking and telehandler operations display.

The 2026 Sustainable Livestock Village Photo Competition will also take place with a €1,200 prize fund up for grabs.  

Now in its second year, the competition is being run in conjunction with the Irish Farmers Journal and celebrates the people, practices and innovation that are helping to make Irish farming more sustainable. It gives farmers the opportunity to showcase their own stories and highlight the positive work taking place on farms through photography.

This year’s competition features four categories, including a new category celebrating women in agriculture, recognising the Year of the Woman Farmer:

• Generations Working Together
• Sustainable Farming in Action
• Celebrating Women in Agriculture
• Overall Sustainability Award

The competition offers a total prize fund of €1,200, with winners also receiving complimentary tickets to the Tullamore Show. Winning and shortlisted photographs will be displayed in the Sustainable Livestock Village at the Tullamore Show & FBD National Livestock Show on Sunday, 9 August.

Traffic:

People are being warned to expect significant delays ahead of this year's Tullamore Show.

For those heading to this year's Show, free parking is available adjacent to the show grounds, with motorists being directed along four dedicated routes to four separate car parks.

Gardai wish to advise motorists that delays in the area can be expected all day and that Diversions will be in place.

Free car parking is provided adjacent to the show grounds and motorists will be directed along 4 dedicated routes to each of 4 car parks as follows:

Traffic coming from the North on the N52 will be diverted via the Tullamore By-Pass to the Birr Road bringing attendees to the Green Car Park.

Traffic coming from the West on the M6 will be brought off the motorway at the Clara junction and parked at the Yellow Car Park.

People driving in from the South on the N80 are going to the Blue Car Park and will be diverted at Killiegh Village.

Motorists coming from the South on N52 from Birr get diverted at Blueball to the Red Car Park.

Superindendent at Tullamore Garda Station Tony Tighe is asking people to be mindful of the vast numbers heading into and out of Offaly this weekend.

No Parking will be permitted on the Diversion Routes or Roads in the precinct of the Showgrounds.

Exhibitors are requested to follow Exhibitors Signs and to arrive before 9.30am in order to avoid delays.

And everyone heading to the Show is being asked to forget about google maps and stick to the signs.

People Attending the Show Free car parking is provided adjacent to the show grounds and motorists will be directed along 4 dedicated routes to each of 4 car parks as follows:

NORTH/NORTH EAST TRAFFIC - (Kilbeggan, N.52, N.80 etc.) Will be diverted via the Tullamore By-Pass to the Birr Road and access the Green Car Park adjacent to the Showgrounds.

WEST/NORTH WEST TRAFFIC – (From Athlone M6 direction) Will be diverted off the M6 after Athlone and via Clara, Coolnahiley and Rahan where they will be accommodated at the Yellow Car Park adjacent to the showgrounds.

SOUTH/SOUTH EAST TRAFFIC - (Portlaoise, Mountmellick, N.80 Direction) Will be diverted at Killeigh Village towards the Showgrounds, where they will be accommodated at the Blue car park.

SOUTH/SOUTH WEST TRAFFIC - (From Birr N.52 Direction) Will be diverted left at Blueball to the Red car park adjacent to the Showgrounds. A periodic reversible one-way traffic system will operate around the Showgrounds at peak times in the morning and the evening. This will result in delays.

Motorists and local Residents etc., are asked to co-operate with the Gardai and Show Stewards and to follow all information signs which are there for their benefit. No Parking will be permitted on the Diversion Routes or Roads in the precinct of the Showgrounds.  These will be ‘Tow Away Areas’ Patrons attending the show are asked to disregard Sat-Nav/Google Maps and to follow Road Signs for Show Parking.

EXHIBITORS: Exhibitors are requested to follow Exhibitors Signs and to arrive before 9.30am in order to avoid delays.  Please display Exhibitor Badges clearly.  After 9.30am the Exhibitor Route will close and Exhibitors will have to use regular car parking facilities. All exhibitors, with the exception of livestock, will be directed to the main site entrance situated on the Blueball/Rahan Road. Livestock, including horses, will gain access to the site via the closed section of the N52.  Please follow signs for Livestock.

DISABLED CAR PARK: A disabled car park is provided on the event site by organisers. Show committee will issue PWD Passes to patrons who wish to use this parking facility. All vehicles displaying PWD Pass will be directed onto the event site. All persons wishing to avail of Disabled parking and issued with relevant PWD Pass should follow signage for Livestock and enter at Gate 3 on the Greatwood Road. After 12pm please use the Blueball Entrance for Disabled Parking.

FOR MOTORISTS NOT ATTENDING THE SHOW Please note that a section of the N52 from Mucklagh to Blueball will be closed to non-show traffic from approximately 7am to 8pm on the day of the Show. The following alternative routes are available to passing motorists, not attending the show and in order to avoid delays those motorists are asked to use the Signed Diversions. Traffic travelling towards Tullamore from a South or Southwest direction can divert 2 km from Birr at Kennedy’s Cross for Athlone, Tullamore, Kilbeggan or Mullingar and at Kilcormac for Mountmellick, Portlaoise or Portarlington.

Traffic travelling towards Tullamore from a North or Eastern direction can divert at Kilbeggan via Clara, Ferbane and Cloghan for Birr. Traffic travelling through Tullamore from a South or Southeast direction can divert at Portlaoise via Portarlington and Rochfortbridge to the M6 motorway. Delays on the day are unavoidable and passing motorists are asked to be patient and use the signed diversion routes where possible.

Offaly County Council will close the N52 from Mucklagh Roundabout to Blueball between 6 am and 8 pm. The diversion route will be via Ferbane and Clara on R357, N62, R436 and R420.

Childcare:

Local parenting support charity Cuidiú Offaly will return to the Tullamore Show this year to provide baby changing and feeding facilities. Volunteers will staff three baby care tents with baby changing facilities and complimentary cold drinks for parents. The tents will be located in front of the Band Stand (near Gate 4), in front of the Vintage Tent and between the Sheep Ring and the Blue Car Park. For more information see @cuidiuoffaly on social media.

Local parenting support charity Cuidiú Offaly will return to the Tullamore Show this year to provide baby changing and feeding facilities. Volunteers will staff three baby care tents with baby changing facilities and complimentary cold drinks for parents. The tents will be located in front of the Band Stand (near Gate 4), in front of the Vintage Tent and between the Sheep Ring and the Blue Car Park. For more information see @cuidiuoffaly on social media.