Queen of the Land Festival moves to Birr

This year's 59th Queen of the Land Festival will take place in Birr for the first time since the event's inception after being moved from Tullamore.

The committee is busy planning this year's festival which will be held in the County Arms Hotel in Birr from Friday, November 10 until Sunday, November 12.

Chairperson for the festival, Deirdre Colgan, said that there's a great line-up planned for the event and that it will bring business into the town for the local restaurants and hotels.

Fans of folk music will be delighted to hear that Irish folk/rock band The Whistlin' Donkeys will perform at the festival on the Saturday night with more acts to be announced.

The launch for the Queen of the Land Festival will take place in the County Arms Hotel on Sunday, October 8. Tickets for the festival will go on sale exclusively for Macra members from Friday, July 28 and will go on sale to the general public at a later date.

On the Friday, of the festival, there will be a public reception in Emmet Square in Birr to welcome the ladies taking part in the competition. The Queens will take to the stage for interviews on the Saturday before the crowds are entertained in the Big Top by The Whistlin Donkeys. Finally, on Sunday, the Queens will enjoy a Gala Banquet before the Queen of the Land is revealed in the Big Top.

Rachel McNamara from Newtownshandrum in Cork, representing Cork’s Avondhu region won last year's Queen of the Land title.