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markets · Sunday 26 July 2026 · 9:00am 
Ossory Agricultural Show
At Coolfin · Coolfin, Rathdowney, Co. Laois
At Coolfin · Coolfin, Rathdowney, Co. Laois
One of the oldest agricultural shows in Ireland, the Ossory Show has been running since 1898 - making 2026 its 128th year. It takes place at Coolfin, just outside Rathdowney in Co. Laois, on a Sunday in late July when the farming year is in full swing. The crowd is a mix of livestock exhibitors, farming families, people who came as children and are now bringing their own, and anyone curious about the working rhythms of the Irish midlands. Admission starts from €5.
The show runs across 25 competition categories. The livestock section is the centrepiece - cattle classes cover Limousin, Hereford, Salers, Angus, Charolais, Simmental and Belgian Blue breeds, alongside sheep, pigs, poultry and horses. The equine section includes brood mares and foals, show jumping, working hunters, Irish draught classes and carriage driving.
Beyond the rings there is real variety: home industries, arts and crafts, horticulture, photography, cooking demonstrations, a dog show and tug-of-war. Vintage machinery is a popular draw - old tractors and farm equipment that gather a crowd of people who remember using them and younger visitors seeing them for the first time. Live music runs through the day. Trade stands cover everything from farm supplies to artisan food.
The show moved to the current Coolfin ground in 2000. For most of its life it ran every year without a break - a record stretching from 1898 to 2019 - which says something about how seriously it is taken in this part of Laois.
Rathdowney sits on the R433, roughly midway between Thurles (about 20km south) and Portlaoise (about 30km north). From Dublin, take the M7/M8 toward Portlaoise and follow signs for Rathdowney from there. There is no regular bus service, so a car is the practical option. Show-day parking is managed by stewards on site; allow extra time if arriving after 10am.
Rathdowney is a quiet market town worth a look before or after the show. The wider county has strong heritage - the Rock of Dunamase and Emo Court are both within easy reach. There is more to see in Rathdowney and across Co. Laois.
Heading to 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.