Given the destruction and loss of Irish  census records for the 19th century these listings contain huge detail of those exhibiting and their addresses.

Despite the perception of widespread poverty and distress in West Cork from the mid 19th century there wsaa cohort of middling to large farmers.May enjoyed leases and were improvers

In the Bandon area there were those  like in the  Bandon area T.  J. Biggs, Garryhandkerdmore  John Hurley, brewers, William Connor Sullivan. They didn’t agree on politics but worked  together to improve agriculture, bring the railway to Bandon and  endeavour to improve navigation on the Bandon river.

Members Ballineen Agricultural Society 1845-7

These records were transcribed in 1946 by T. Shea and published in the 1946 issue of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society.  It was based on the record lent to him by William Daunt of Deriga House, Ballineen.  His uncle Mr. Daunt was secretary of the Society and presumably maintained the records including the townland of the member.

Minutes of Ballineen, Co. Cork, Agricultural Society 1845-7, ordered that pamphlet on turnips be translated into Irish for some of the Protestant famers, turnips, flax growing plight of labourers, attendance by name and townland 1847 contrasted with 1946 location of families.

From the show listing it is possible to trace new breeds of livestock and plants.

Women are largely invisible in 19th century Ireland but here there are frequent listings in areas such as poultry,fruit and vegetable arts and crafts.

It was common for families to migrate from West Cork to  the more fertile land around Cork Harbour but they continued even for generations to exhibit the in the  local shows.

Click here:

https://www.academia.edu/s/0c8e9e23e0

1843, Skibbereen Union Farming Society and  Show, p.4

1845, Bandon Union Agricultural Society Dinner including improver T.J.Biggs, Garryhandkerdmore, p.20

1847, Bandon Union Agricultural Society Dinner, p.39

1845-7.Members Ballineen Agricultural Society, p. 31

Minutes of Ballineen, Co. Cork, Agricultural Society 1845-7, ordered that pamphlet on turnips be translated into Irish for some of the Protestant farmers. 

1849, Bandon Union Agricultural Society Dinner, p.50

1856 Skibbereen Agricultural Show reference, p. 61

1860. Munster Flax Society Visit to Bantry Farms 

1863, Agricultural Prizes, Prizewinners, 1896 and 1897 Carbery Agricultural Show, Skibbereen, p. 64

1900 August Durrus Butter Show, p. 70

1909.  Agricultural Improvement, County Premium Boars, Premium Bulls, Extra Premium Bulls, Stallion Asses, Barony of Bantry and Bere, Carbery, p.71

1929, Carbery Show, p.74

1930, Lisivard, p. 94

1937 Durrus Show, p.101

1942, Bandon Show, p. 106

1946, Carbery  Bantry, and Clonakilty Shows, p. 107

1947, Bantry Agricultural Show, p, 138, 145

1947 Skibbereen Shorthorn Breeders Show, 114

A Comment:

Interesting to read some of the newspaper reports about the agricultural shows and the subsequent dinners. I assume ‘removing the cloth and subsequent toasts’ were Freemason traditions but there does seem to have been a large number of toasts followed by ‘drank with much cheering’ so it seems they were really an excuse for a big, all male drinking session but without worries about drinking and driving afterwards.