Game Fair Shanes Castle

cookimonster

Can anyone tell me, from experience, whether or not the retail stands at the fair will be taking Euros or do I need to bring sterling. I know the admission is Euro/ Sterling on a one for one basis.

And lastly is the parking a similar set up as Birr Game Fair?

Thanks
CM

mallards

I know a couple of lads that sell stuff there and they're just hunting lads like the rest of us. I'm sure they'll take euro but you might need to pull the exchange rate calculator out as they probably don't have a set exchange rate. Plus you will probably get the change back in sterling. I'd say the English retailers would probably look twice at you though so probably best to take sterling. Was talking to another fella who judges some of the dogs there and he was saying the birr one was cancelled this year as it clashed with the popes visit? So they're expecting a bigger turn out this year at shanes. They're putting on extra stuff because of that and it's the 40th anniversary he said. Should be good, but typically I can't make it this year.

cookimonster

Thanks for that mallards.... sterling it will be then, if I don't waste it there then I'll stop off and pick up some cheep booze... or she'll spend one way or the other.

mallards

Here you go cookie, got this from the horses mouth so to speak. Cheers.

INFO : FOR ROI GAME FAIR VISITORS TO THE ALL IRELAND GAME FAIR at SHANES. CASTLE , ANTRIM on the 23/24 JUNE. We are offering € for £ parity at the gate BUT it would be extremely helpful to our gate staff and traffic flow if you had the CORRECT ADMISSION FEE in EURO when entering. ADULT €10 FAMILY €25. Most traders will take EURO at the prevailing rate but if you have difficulty Fair HQ can help.

Info : including downloadable programme www.irishgamefair.com

cookimonster

Brilliant, thanks for that. I'd given up on their webs site, thanks again.

garv123

going rate £1: €1 hopefully

Long spin up from waterford!

Cadpat_cowboy

I have never attended a game fair before what sort of carry on can you expect? Would it be typical for firearms to be on sale?

garv123

Lads anyone thinking of going from the south, don't!! Worst game fair we've ever been to. Left at half 4, got there at 10, left at half 12, 2 shops with guns or proper clothes that's not Jack pyke. No shooting or hunting accessories.
I used to say birr was ok for a day out, this was awful.

Vizzy

Realistically, the only ones worth going to are the English ones.

Went to Midlands last year, brilliant 2 days.

Willing be going again in Sept.

.243

Vizzy wrote: »

Realistically, the only ones worth going to are the English ones.

Went to Midlands last year, brilliant 2 days.

Willing be going again in Sept.

I’ve actually stopped going to the midlands,it’s gone downhill rapidly in the last 3-4 years,
I’ll be trying the shooting show in Birmingham next year

Vizzy

Really ?

Last year was my first year at Midlands so I have nothing to compare it to, except Birr:eek:

What has deteriorated ?
Dogs? Selection of stands ?

Does the shooting show have all the outdoor dog stuff/falconry etc ?

.243

Vizzy wrote: »

Really ?

Last year was my first year at Midlands so I have nothing to compare it to, except Birr:eek:

What has deteriorated ?
Dogs? Selection of stands ?

Does the shooting show have all the outdoor dog stuff/falconry etc ?

Well the gun makers row used to start at the air rifle section at the top and carry down both sides till it met the dog trails at the bottom,
And had every uk distributor from gmk to Edgar bros
The fishing section was only a third of its size the last time I was there,
The falconry has halved and so has the dog trailing,
When I first started going we never bought a thing on the first day as it was so big it took the entire day to see where everything was,
Gun weren’t even locked on the stands and the only police you ever saw there were hunters themselves,
Shooting show in Birmingham will be my first so I’m not sure what to make of it

transit260

.243 wrote: »

Well the gun makers row used to start at the air rifle section at the top and carry down both sides till it met the dog trails at the bottom,
And had every uk distributor from gmk to Edgar bros
The fishing section was only a third of its size the last time I was there,
The falconry has halved and so has the dog trailing,
When I first started going we never bought a thing on the first day as it was so big it took the entire day to see where everything was,
Gun weren’t even locked on the stands and the only police you ever saw there were hunters themselves,
Shooting show in Birmingham will be my first so I’m not sure what to make of it

LUCKY YOUR NOT A LURCHER OR TERRIER FAN..THEY WERE HIDDEN WAY OUT OF SIGHT OF THE MAIN CROWD ...SAYS IT ALL ON HOW THEY LOOK AT US I THINK ..

Cass

I used to go to both the midlands and the Shane's castle one, but stopoed the midlands one a few years back and Shane's Castle a couple of years after that.

As said above by .243 the quality has gone sharply downhill. I know the reasons for this include travel from abroad, people not having as much money, etc. but one of the main reasons i was given from RFDs i know used to go to it was the fee charged by the fair. One small stall for one day was €850, and €1,600 for two days. A larger stall or the largest, was quoted to one RFD as being in the €4,000 mark. Not many, even big companies, would pay that for a stall. The smaller dealers would never earn enough to cover costs let alone make a few pound profit.

The there is the stalls themselves. Filling missing gun stalls and fieldsport related stands with kids games, arts and crafts or just crap, is not a compromise. It used to take a full day to walk the fair and even then you might not see everything. They increased the reenactment bits, and small things like the food stands were, excuse me, sh*t. Way, WAY, overpriced food that was under cooked, and not in the least bit tasty. €4 or €5 for a small plastic tub of chips (basically a handful) and double that for an under cooked and plain burger. Instead of dropping prices to try and encourage people back they have raised them to try and compensate for the drop in foot traffic.

The Borris fair a few years back was small, but i found it good. The stalls were directly related to fieldsport and while small it had a decent selection of goods and prices were fairly keen. It stopped after the first year which was a shame as it might have become something good.

On a completely separate note i seen this while looking through papers the other day. What breed of moron done this? I sat into my car yesterday and with temperatures of 31 outside the car read over 40. I know the weekend wasn't as hot, but you don't leave a dog in a car in any heat for any length of time. If you're stupid enough to have to be told this, you're too stupid to own a dog.

Eddie B

mallards wrote: »

I know a couple of lads that sell stuff there and they're just hunting lads like the rest of us. I'm sure they'll take euro but you might need to pull the exchange rate calculator out as they probably don't have a set exchange rate. Plus you will probably get the change back in sterling. I'd say the English retailers would probably look twice at you though so probably best to take sterling. Was talking to another fella who judges some of the dogs there and he was saying the birr one was cancelled this year as it clashed with the popes visit? So they're expecting a bigger turn out this year at shanes. They're putting on extra stuff because of that and it's the 40th anniversary he said. Should be good, but typically I can't make it this year.

Heard a different story myself. Heard that Birr will no longer be holding the fair, and they are now looking for a new venue to hold the game fair for next year. Might not be true. Just whats bern said around these parts.

cookimonster

Nope Ed, it's a new venue next year and thats from their own website, no more Birr castle.
I don't think the old Pope road show had any effect on this year's show, I suspect something else caused the change in venue this year and next year coming.

cavan shooter

A couple of mates went up and I only got talking to them over the weekend because the way worl is.
They weren't impressed. They said it had no good decent stuff and jabbered on about the arty farty crowd taking over (assume that's west cavan/leitrim for artisan food producers).

Now these boys are die hard huntsmen as in every Sunday after reynards up to paddys day. Apparently half the old NARGC was there doing the rounds like lords and Ladies of the Manner.

What's a decent fair to go to? Or are they all gone.

transit260

ive stopped going to any of them...i went to the midlands a nd the welsh a few times and back then they were good ,,,but in MY OPINION ..their gone to ****e tbh...to bring the crowds in you need an ingridient thats fresh and new ...and i dont have a clue exactly what that is lol...but their all becoming mundane or have become mundane a long time back...shame really as i did enjoy a certain few ..maybe i had more enthusiasm back then ...it might be just me ...but i doubt it

berettaman

cavan shooter wrote: »

Apparently half the old NARGC was there doing the rounds like lords and Ladies of the Manner.

What's a decent fair to go to? Or are they all gone.

Heard some former NARGC were on the go..representing anyone(no one)? CSI, SCOVIs or themselves? Christy Moore could write a song about them...