Meath Girl Takes Title

MEATH GIRL TAKES TITLE Meath’s Celine Smyth, a 21 year old student, has been crowned the 2010 Blue Jean Country Queen in Athboy, Co. Meath at the end of a very exciting festival weekend. Celine from Athboy club beat off competition from 26 girls from all over Ireland and abroad to take the title at the festival last weekend. She receives €1500 along with the perpetual trophy and was crowned on Sunday night of the June Bank Holiday festival much to the delight of the many Meath supporters attending.

Runner up was Aoife Connors from Waterford and in third place was South Tipperary’s Grace Dunne Celebrating its 23rd festival, members of Meath Macra na Feirme (organisers of the event) were delighted with all aspects of the weekend. Despite the rain it didn’t dampen the fun, huge crowds and the massive array of events organised over the weekend were just the recipe to turn this year’s festival into one of the largest and successful to date.

It kicked off Friday night with the official festival opening by Margret Brady, Secretary of Athboy Fair green Committee who this year are celebrating their centenary of the handover of the park from Lord Darley to the people of Athboy this was followed with local celebrity Joe Healy who had the task of interviewing the queens on stage in front an enthusiastic audience and put all the girls at ease.

Saturday morning the girls were up bright and early for their private interview with judges, lunch time saw the launch of the AIB Club of the Year with Michael Gowling, president of Macra na Feirme and Patrick Butterly of AIB North East Argi Business Sector in attendance. The afternoon brought the Athboy Marching Band onto the streets of Athboy to parade the 29 queens to the Macra Hall for the presentation of the art competition. Overall four hundred children from the three local primary schools Athboy, Rathmore and Kildalky and with prizes given out for each of the eight classes (list of winner attached) all prizes were sponsored by Smyth’s Newsagents, Athboy. All afternoon the streets of Athboy were ladened with clowns, face painters, musicians kindly sponsored by businesses in the town and various Meath Macra side shows. This year saw the introduction of the busking competition kindly sponsored by MG Music, Navan. Congratulations to Bob Batty, Dublin who came 1st and David Arkins, Athboy who was 2nd .

Saturday evening saw the girls sing their hearts out in Floods Bar at the karaoke competition, with twelve songs under belt these dancing diva’s started the evening as they meant to go on. 9 o clock saw the traditional tour of the town thanking local sponsors for their support. This year saw the new addition of the i105-107 club tour in Buck Mulligan’s, in addition to Ceili na mBanrionachanna, DJ Melia and Lightening Strikes.

Sunday morning came too fast and with it brought the rain. Quickly our Lark in the Park became the Madness and Mayhem in the Marquees. Our Fancy Dress Football brought its own share of fun and frolics with MK Murphy of Tullyallen Macra, Louth crowned Queen of the Match with Sean Tierney of Athboy Flooring as proud sponsor. In the early afternoon the queens entertained us all with a fantastic fashion show. Each of the girls had two outfits to model, first to be a pair of jeans and the second an outfit that would be suitable for a day at the races. The queens looked fantastic, and judges Deirdre Reynolds – fashion journalist and Noeleen Doggett – Former Blue Jean Chairman had a tough decision. In the end. Louise O’Brien from Avondu took third prize, with Celine Smyth Meath taking 2nd place and Grace Dunne – South Tipperary taking first prize with prizes for this sponsored by Staunton’s Pharmacy. Special thanks also to Jean Junction of Navan for styling the Meath Queen. After watching the fashionistas, it was then time to take out the picnics for the Avonmore Big Picnic for Barrettstown. The rain didn’t stop us from having fun and with Aura sponsoring a family membership as a prize a raffle was organised which raised over €500 for the worthy cause.

Sunday evening saw the queens don their glad rags for the Banquet in The Old Darnley Lodge Hotel where each queen received a once off specially commissioned bracelet by Sara Hunter Jewellery Design, Athboy and this was kindly sponsors by Paddy Kerrigan proprietor of The Old Darnley Lodge. Presentations were also made to sponsors – a specially commissioned piece of glass from Glashaus, Navan. McElhennys Menswear generously sponsored a prize that was raffled between host families, and this was won by Anthony and Jackie Leavy. There were many speeches on the night including one form Macra na Feirme President Michael Gowling in which he congratulated the committee on all their hand work to organise the festival and wished them luck for next years festival. Patricia McKenna Festival Chairman thanked the committee for their hard work over the past few months in preparation of the festival. “Without our sponsors we would not be able to do all the activities and fundraising that we do for charitable organisations, so we would urge everyone to support our sponsors”, she added. Patricia also thanked the community of Athboy who year after year open their town and homes to Meath Macra na Feirme.

Over the weekend all the businesses in the town where asked to have a Blue Jean County Queen Festival themed shop windows. This was judged by 2009 winner Jillian McKay and the winner was Louise’s Gift shop. The fun and craic flowed steady up to Monday afternoon as live music was still pumping out through the town Athboy, the home of the festival. Festival Sponsors Diego, Farrelly Brothers Agricultural Contractors, and Stevens, Cooke and Co had great praise for the organisers who had ensured there was something for all the family at the weekend. Now regarded as one of the top festivals in the North East, the committee are looking forward to an even bigger and better one for 2011.



Aiveen Cully PRO Blue Jean Country Queen Festival
Ph: 086 1219002
aiveen.cully@macra.ie