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markets · Thursday 16 July 2026 · 10:00am 
Carbery Show 2026
At The Showgrounds, Skibbereen · Showgrounds, Skibbereen, Co. Cork
At The Showgrounds, Skibbereen · Showgrounds, Skibbereen, Co. Cork
The Carbery Show has been held in Skibbereen every July since 1836, making it one of the oldest agricultural shows in the country. A full day out for families, farming folk, and anyone curious about West Cork’s rural life, the show draws crowds from across the region to The Showgrounds for livestock competitions, equestrian events, indoor exhibitions, and a busy trade stand area. If you have children with any interest in animals, crafts, or baking, this is one of those days that stays with them.
The livestock ring is the centrepiece - horses, ponies, dairy cattle, and beef cattle are judged through the morning and afternoon, with the finals of the Cork County Yearling Championship and the Cork County Beef Bull Championship among the headline competitions. The equestrian side of things draws strong entries, with ridden and led classes for ponies and horses throughout the day.
Indoors, the show’s exhibition hall fills up with horticultural entries, flower and flower-arranging displays, photography, arts and crafts, and cookery - everything judged to a traditional county-show standard that has changed little over the decades. Children have their own junior sections across most of these categories, as well as junior cattle and junior pony classes in the ring, so young exhibitors are very much part of the fabric of the day, not an afterthought.
Trade stands and food stalls run along the showground perimeter. It is a good place to pick up local produce, farming supplies, crafts, and to have a proper sit-down lunch or a cup of tea while the afternoon classes get under way.
Skibbereen sits on the N71, roughly 90 km west of Cork city - allow about an hour and a half from Cork by car, or around 20 minutes from Bantry. The Showgrounds are in the town itself, well signed from the main road. Bus Eireann runs services along the N71 corridor from Cork city, though frequency is limited on a Thursday, so check timetables in advance. Car is the practical option for most. Parking at agricultural shows in West Cork tends to be in adjacent fields - wear footwear that copes with grass.
Skibbereen is a market town with real character - strong independent shops, good cafes, and the Skibbereen Heritage Centre, which tells the story of the Great Famine in West Cork with unusual depth. The coast at Baltimore is 13 km south, and Lough Hyne, Ireland’s only saltwater lake, is a short drive beyond that. There is more to see in Skibbereen and across Co. Cork.
Heading to The Showgrounds, Skibbereen in Skibbereen? Cork has plenty more to see. Read the Skibbereen area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.