Preparations are underway at Mountbellew Mart for the hosting of the 2024 all-Ireland and all nations sheep shearing and woolhandling championships.

While the championships are taking place over the bank holiday weekend in June (Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2), they are bring launched next month.

The launch of the 2024 championships will take place on Friday, March 1 at 7:00p.m in the Malt House, Mountbellew.

All are invited to the launch and admission is free. Food and refreshments will be served, and entertainment will be provided by local musicians.

The mart has offered it’s thanks to the Irish Sheep Shearers Association and Mountbellew Agricultural College for their support ahead of the championships.

In addition to the championships in June, there will be many other events for all the family at the mart across the weekend including; sheepdog trials, live music, fashion shows, cookery exhibitions, children’s activities, trade stands, Irish wool experience, fashion shows, interactive magic show, and a community time capsule ceremony.

Theme of sheep shearing

With St. Patrick’s Day just weeks away, organisers of the parade in Mountbellew, Co. Galway have chosen sheep shearing as this year’s theme.

This is to celebrate that Mountbellew livestock mart is hosting the all-Ireland and all-nations sheep shearing and woolhandling championships in 2024.

Therefore, the St. Patrick’s Day parade organising committee in Mountbellew have announced that both championships, along with “everything sheep and sheep shearing,” is this year’s theme.

The parade will take place on Sunday, March 17, and the committee are urging entrants to the parade to start preparing their floats now.

“We are looking for floats to incorporate sheep and sheep shearing in every possible way to celebrate Mountbellew holding an all-Ireland event,” the organising committee said.

There will be an overall prize for the best float this year, along with prizes for the funniest, most topical, best club entry, and the best dressed group in the parade.