The fourth instalment of Agriland's 'Around the Shows' podcast series takes us to Inishowen in Co. Donegal for the 57th Clonmany Agricultural Show.

The annual show brought together farmers, competitors, exhibitors and visitors for a two-day event, which featured livestock competitions, sheepdog trials, sheaf throwing, and much more.

Speaking to Agriland, the show secretary, Gerard Noone said that the show has "grown from strength to strength" each year it has been running.

The All-Ireland shearing competitions and sheep championships were among this year's main attractions.

He also said the introduction of new Young Stockperson championships, which aim to encourage more young people to get involved in agricultural shows and keep rural traditions alive, was a major highlight in 2026.

The show's appeal extends well beyond the boundaries of County Donegal, with Noone pointing to the fact that visitors travel from as far as New Zealand and joined Welsh shearers and judges who were enthusiastic participants this year.

You can listen back to the podcast on the Clonmany Agricultural Show here:

Sheepdog trials

One of the biggest crowd pullers at the latest Clonmany Show were the sheepdog trials which tested the ability of handlers and their dogs to work together.

Stephen McNamee from Glenfin in Co. Donegal, told Agriland that he has been competing in sheepdog trials for around five years after developing an interest in the competitions from a young age.

He said that training a sheepdog usually begins when the dog is four to six months-old, with handlers keen to see if it has an instinctive interest in sheep.

The dog's confidence and stamina are also among the most important traits when it comes to herding sheep, according to competitors.

For McNamee, the biggest attraction in competing is the adrenaline that comes from bringing a young dog through training and seeing it perform on the big stage.

"Everybody has their source of madness and I suppose this is mine," he added.

Sheaf throwing

A serious test of strength also took place at the 2026 Clonmany Show as the showgrounds played host to a group attempting to break the world record for sheaf throwing.

The current record holder, Michael O'Brien from Tullagh in Co. Clare, said that the agricultural sport involves throwing a eight-pound bundle of straw over a horizontal bar that is continuously raised after each successful throw.

The record to beat on the day was a staggering 60ft, which the group of competitors were unable to defeat due to the windy weather conditions.

However, O'Brien said that their sights are now set on returning to next year's show to get the job done.

Shearing and stockpersons

A catalogue of sheep shearing championships were also held throughout this year's show which attracted some of the top competitors from Ireland and further afield.

One of the competitors on the day, Sean Dunne from Co. Wicklow said there was "stiff competition" among those taking part.

Across the showgrounds, the new Young Stockperson championships also provided a opportunity for the next generation of exhibitors to take centre stage in the livestock rings.

Among those competing was Oisin Mallon from Lisfannon in Co. Donegal, who has been showing sheep at agricultural shows for four years going strong.

When asked what he enjoys most about competing in the ring, his answer was simple - "winning all the rosettes".