COUNTY OF CORK AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 215 



THE COUNTY OF CORK AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY* 



The County Cork Agricultural Society has had a long, useful existence. 

 In the statistical survey of the County Cork, published in 1810, it is men- 

 tioned in the following terms : — " The establishment of a farming society, 

 though its beneficial influence can hardly be said to have reached the lower 

 orders, has, however, done material service. It has excited a spirit of useful 

 competition among the higher, and rendered rural economy a favourite and 

 fashionable pursuit." 



In 1 842 the Royal Agricultural Improvement Society reports : — " The 

 County of Cork Agricultural Society, a large and influential body comprising 

 the entire of that great County and a number of smaller local societies 

 within its sphere, undertook to provide the necessary accommodation for 

 the Show (of the Agricultural Improvement Society) in the City of Cork,, 

 and to pay the Central Society the sum of ;^500 in addition towards the 

 expense of the premiums that were offered and other incidental expenses 

 that may be incurred on the occasion." The Show was held in Cork in 

 1 842. It was one of the most successful of the series of Agricultural Shows 

 that subsequently were held alternately in the premises by the Royal Agri- 

 cultural Society of Ireland. Very considerable improvements and advan- 

 tages to Agriculture accrued through the influence of the Agricultural 

 Society. Mr. Farmer Lloyd, the energetic Assistant Secretary knew the 

 Agricultural requirements of the county, and the Society was brought into- 

 relationship with these. On the establishment of the chair of Agriculture 

 in the Queen's College in Cork, an harmonious v/orking took place between 

 this department of the College and the Society. Mr. Bennett, who became 

 Secretary subsequently to Mr. Farmer Lloyd, gave considerable attention 

 to the work of developing Agriculture in the county through the influence 

 of the Society. 



In 1856 the Society appears to have entered upon a new phase of 

 enlightened progress. It was chiefly owing to the exertions of the late 

 Messrs. W. R. Meade and Thomas Garde that this was brought about, and 

 much of its success for several years afterwards was due to the energy and 

 ability of these gentlemen. Mr. Meade, who was a distinguished breeder 

 of shorthorns and Leicester sheep, lived near Kinsale ; he held the confi- 

 dence of all classes in the county. Mr. Garde, who was an equally dis- 

 tinguished breeder of Leicester sheep, lived near Midleton. From 1856 

 down to 1 890 the Shows were held in the grounds of the Com Market. In 

 this space there was sufficient lOom for an ordinary Cattle Show ; but when 

 the Society, following the lead of the Metropolitan ones, increased its area 

 of operations and adopted the idea of holding horse-jumping contests, the 

 enclosure m the Com Market was found to be too limited. The Society, for 

 the next few years, held its shows in the racing ground in the Park ; but as 

 it was thought there was a great loss in the annual erection of temporary 

 structures it was decided to come to terms with the Corporation of Cork 



