A new era for the Cork Summer Show began today in Greenfields, Ballincollig. The Munster Agricultural Society has its roots in the early 1800s when the Cork & County Agricultural Society was in operation. In the mid 1800s, an agricultural show was held in the Cork Corn Market, now the site of Cork City Hall. In the early 1890s, the society moved to the eastern corner of the Cork Park Racecourse in The Marina area. The Munster Agricultural Society came into being in 1908. Up to the end of 2008, the Society and the Cork Showgrounds was insitu in The Marina.  A compulsory purchase order to make way for the Cork South Docklands meant that the Society had to find new grounds, which they have in Ballincollig.

It’s a shame that Cork City has lost the Cork Showgrounds. Their focus on education and community will be missed in the south-east ward. Still and all, there is great scope to re-adopt and spread some of the ideas into the south-east suburbs…