Shanes Castle Game Fair

garv123

Anyone gone to this before? Would it be worth the trip all the way up?
Birr is getting worse and worse every year..
http://www.irishgamefair.com/

Cass

garv123 wrote: »

Anyone gone to this before?

Yup. Many, many times.

Would it be worth the trip all the way up?

Hell no.

I've been going to it for years, and was brilliant. Plenty of Irish and English vendors a great day out. However recently it has gone to the dogs (and i don't mean trials). The last time i decided to go up was about 3 years ago. I was completely disgusted.

For the "averge Joe" it would be a decent day out, however with only two firearm vendors it was a let down. There were childrens/fairground stalls, plenty of food stalls, and arts & craft stalls. Then medieval reenactments. There was a clay shooting stand out the back, but nothing to get excited about. A couple of stations was all and it was as expensive as hell.

I ended up walking it in a couple of hours and then left. a day wasted. A shame really as it was the one fair i looked forward to. Unless things have changed in the last few years i'd give it a miss.

Birr is run by the same crowd and i've stopped going to it too.

The last fair i went to was the Borris fair. It was small, and i was not expecting much but ws pleasantly surprised. now i won't say it was packed, it was not. There were a nice few stalls and more gun shops represented than in the Shane/Birr fair even though they are three-four times the size. Prices were keen on some items and decent on others. A few good trials in the centre arena, and just the right ratio of food/art & craft stalls.

IOW i was expecting X and got X. Hope it's the same or better this year.

LIFFY FISHING

Was going to give Shane Castle a visit but now knowing its the same crowd as Birr NO THANKS!! what a rip off , took a punt last year and went to Borris, took the wife, mother in law & the dog and had a lovley day out, so much so the mother in law want to go back this year , her
treat.
Fyi Borris is 5/6 July

the scudd

i live about 14 mile from shanes castle, its ok for a run out with the wife and kids but in my opinion there is not much at it for a shooting man

Cass

LIFFY FISHING wrote: »

Fyi Borris is 5/6 July

Brought the family the first time i went there and they enjoyed it and have been asking when it's on again. The young lad really enjoyed the airshow at the end of our day.

So thanks for that.




PS - Same place i presume?

blackwater doc

Definately borris for me

.338lapuamag

The CLA is the only one worth going to lads,it worth the trip

Cass

I've never been, but i heard "rumblings" on some UK sites about it declining in quality. Although going by other descriptions even sub par it would outshine most here.

.338lapuamag

I've been going for a few years now,a I would say that you would defiantly need the whole 3 days to see everything,gunmakers row is fantastic the finest gun makers in the world
Holland & holland,Purdy & sons etc

Cass

Good to hear.

LIFFY FISHING

Reading a few reviews of the Moira fair, which was moved this year & the views are that this wasnt a good event, anyone go? , I was temptedto make the trip but didnt in the end.

mallards

LIFFY FISHING wrote: »

Reading a few reviews of the Moira fair, which was moved this year & the views are that this wasnt a good event, anyone go? , I was temptedto make the trip but didnt in the end.

I went, and to be honest it was pretty awful. The layout was all over the place. I had money in my pocket to pick up a good coat but even though there was a barbour vendor there, they only had a small range of stuff with them. I'd only recommend a fair like this if you are starting out and you need to get a bit of gear, gamekeeping stuff or a couple of small items of clothes or gun stuff. Otherwise, unless you are meeting a few old Mates for a beer and a yarn at it, not very worth it. Highlights for me was the taxidermy stand, one of the paintings stands and a stand selling duck decoys including divers.

TriggerPL

I've been going to them all for years , moira was alway gud , and ballinlough now move to borris , great days out and well ran !

Birr I found went to **** for a few years but 2 years ago it was well ran and I didn get round all the stalls , several gun shops had stalls , and the nragc stand was awesome , I think I spent 2.5 hours in there .

mallards

The nargc stand was at shanes last year also. Had to admit it was very good. They were promoting grouse shooting and conservation last year and had some very knowledgeable people at it to get some info from.

Bushwack

Irish game fairs,money spinners and total rip off for what they are.

TriggerPL

Bushwack wrote: »

Irish game fairs,money spinners and total rip off for what they are.

Ah get a grip. ! That's any game fair anywhere not just ireland ! If ya don't want to spend money stay at home !

Baker.22

Im looking forward to going to this fair, went to Borris last year it was ok but hoping for bigger this year.

Bushwack

TriggerPL wrote: »

Ah get a grip. ! That's any game fair anywhere not just ireland ! If ya don't want to spend money stay at home !

Very true,i don't bother with them any more,same thing every year.

td5

Wouldnt miss it always a great day out.