NORTH-EAST AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 197 



THE NORTH-EAST AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 



The operations of the late Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland having 

 been found so extensive and costly as to prevent the great body of practical 

 farmers from participating directly in its benefits, and the smaller local 

 societies being necessarily too restricted in their funds and operations to 

 effect much permanent advantage, several landed proprietors and others 

 interested in agricultural pursuits, entertained a conviction that an inter- 

 mediate society might, as a connecting Hnk, become the means of extending 

 the benefit of the Great National Society on the one hand, and stimulating 

 the energies of local societies on the other hand. Acting upon this idea, 

 the following met in Hillsborough, County Down, on the 21st September, 

 1854: — The Marquis of Downshire, Very Rev. Dean Stannus, Lisburn ; 

 John Waring Maxwell, Finnebrogue ; A. H. Montgomery, Tyrella ; H. 

 Stanley McClintock, Randalstown ; S. K. Mulholland, Eglantine ; S. D. 

 Crommelin, Carrowdore Castle ; Rev. Dr. Montgomery, Dunmurry ; Jona- 

 than Richardson, Glenmore ; William Charley, Seymour Hill ; and Fitzher- 

 bert Filgate, Hillsborough. 



The Marquis of Downshire, who took the chair, read a great number of 

 letters from the leading landed proprietors of the counties of Down and 

 Antrim, approving of the views above stated, and it was unanimously 

 resolved that steps should be taken t wards the formation of a Society, to 

 be entitled " The North-East Agricultural Association of Ireland," em- 

 bracing the counties of Down, Antrim, Armagh, and Monaghan, and having 

 for its general objects, (i) the improvement of stock and farm produce by 

 holding an annual show for their exhibition ; (2) the encouragement of the 

 manufacture of implements suitable to the North-eastern counties of Ire- 

 land, and (3) the dissemination of practical and useful knowledge con- 

 nected with agriculture in its various branches. 



In order to carry out the resolution of this preliminary meeting, a general 

 meeting of those favourable to the establishment of such an association was 

 held in the Town Hall, Belfast, on 20th October, 1854, to consider its organ- 

 isation, and the principles and regulations on which its proceedings should 

 be conducted and based. 



At this meeting, presided over by the Marquis of Downshire, there was a 

 very large attendance of those interested. Resolutions embodying the 

 objects named were adopted, and the rules submitted to the meeting as the 

 constitution of the Association having been approved of, office-bearers were 

 elected. 



The first Show of the Association was held at Belfast on 23rd and 24th 

 August, 1855, when there were offered for competition in the various classes 



