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heritage · Monday 27 July 2026 · 10:00am 
Ossory Show 2026
At Ossory Showgrounds, Coolfin · Coolfin, Rathdowney, Co. Laois
At Ossory Showgrounds, Coolfin · Coolfin, Rathdowney, Co. Laois
The Ossory Show has been held every year since 1898, making its 128th edition one of the most enduring agricultural shows in Ireland. It draws farmers, families, and curious visitors from across the Midlands to the showgrounds at Coolfin outside Rathdowney for a full day of livestock competitions, heritage demonstrations, and good-natured showground activity. If you have any interest in the land, in working animals, or in how rural Ireland used to organise itself, this is a day worth the drive.
Gates open at 10am. Livestock is the backbone - cattle and sheep classes run through the morning, with horse and pony classes from young handlers to veteran categories, and a dog show running alongside. Heritage farming demonstrations are central to the Ossory Show’s character: corn cutting and threshing recreate the rhythms of harvest before mechanisation, and the older visitors can often name every implement on sight. Vintage tractors, cars, and trucks are spread across the grounds; the Ossory Truck Show draws hauliers from across the country. Tractor pulling returns by popular demand - a noisy, crowd-pleasing afternoon spectacle. On the craft side, local bakers, artists, and makers compete and trade, food stalls run all day, and children’s entertainment fills the gaps.
The night before - Saturday 26 July - the same grounds host a Trucker’s Night with live music, food, and drinks. Camping is available on site, making it a full weekend for anyone coming from further afield.
Rathdowney is in south Co. Laois, roughly 20km south-west of Portlaoise on the R434. From Dublin take the M7 to junction 17 or 18 and follow signs - allow about 90 minutes. From Kilkenny city it is around 30km north on the R693. The showgrounds at Coolfin are just outside the town; local signage goes up on the day. Parking is on-site and in overflow fields. There is no direct public transport; the nearest Bus Eireann service from Portlaoise stops in Rathdowney town.
Rathdowney is a quiet market town whose agricultural character makes the show feel like a natural centrepiece rather than an import. The surrounding south Laois countryside is good for a slow drive or a walk once the show winds down. There is more to see in Rathdowney and across Co. Laois.
Heading to Ossory Showgrounds, Coolfin in Rathdowney? Laois has plenty more to see. Read the Rathdowney area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.