4 minute read
Editorial Comment
Country Sports and Country Life
Well, readers may have noticed already that my editorial comment this time is no longer restricted to Northern Comment and comes under a new heading representing all aspects of the magazine.
But firstly, I raise my hat to Derek Fanning who has held the position of ROI Editor for the past number of years. Derek wrote on many subjects with great authority and in a manner which was so well received by thousands of readers worldwide. His research on a huge range of country sports and other topics inevitably ended in a finely crafted article that was a delight to read.
However, I am very pleased to be able to report that Derek will not be totally lost to readers of this magazine as he intends to send us a regular article. What will his topics be? I have no idea but of this I’m sure they will be in his inimitable style and will be eminently readable.
Derek, I wish you well and look forward to meeting up with you again in the very near future.
Irish Country Sports & Country Life has always been keen to test new processes and evolve as part of the way that the digital age and indeed as you the readers have suggested. The ability to adapt has meant that while other country magazine titles are only a fond memory, this one, in spite of Covid, is in a strong position to deliver what our readers want. Importantly too our advertisers recognise that this title continues to grow apace, and that no matter what the challenges are, we expand our readership and continually seek to adopt what we do to make it better for everyone.
To take an example, as you probably know we are part of The Great Game Fairs of Ireland. You will certainly know that this year it was not possible to run the Irish Game Fair at Shanes Castle Antrim despite taking every precaution required under ongoing Covid 19 rules and regulations. It was a great disappointment for the organisers and the exhibitors and not least the public at large. The Irish Game fair has thousands of supporters who look forward every year to enjoying the event set in the beautiful private estate of Shanes Castle.
But all was not lost! The situation saw the midnight oil burnt and low and behold THE VIRTUAL GAME FAIR was launched worldwide at https://www.thevirtualgamefair.com/.
Since the launch date thousands of people around the world have tuned in to everything that a ‘real’ game fair should be. It is packed with trade stands in the traditional game fair settings such as Gunmakers Row, Fishermans Row, Clothing Row, Gundog Row etc. PLUS there is a constantly changing Bargain Basement which is seriously too good to miss.
Another aspect which has really gone down well is the wide range of easy to enter competitions with excellent prizes.
As the organisers said at its launch ‘No tickets, no queuing. You’re only a click away from the Virtual Game Fair! Where the weather’s always just what you want it to be!’
While THE VIRTUAL GAME FAIR is at www.thevirtualgamefair.com traditionalists need not fear - pandemics not withstanding the traditional and eagerly awaited Shanes Castle Game Fair is at the planning stage already to take place next year.
In this edition you will find articles with an international flavour alongside others set in pastures much nearer to home. Here’s s a small indiction of what’s in store.
Let’s start with something most of us can only dream about - A Macnab. This challenging feat first arose in a tale by John Buchan’s story where the central characters aim was to shoot a stag, bring down grouse and catch a salmon all in the one day. After many years trying, Simon K Barr writes about eventually achieving his dream in the Highlands.
A trip to Germany for Steven McGonigal sees him enjoy some exciting Teckel work but not before he hones his rifle skills to perfection. Then
Editorial Comment
it’s an early start to the north of Heidelberg for an organised hunt with Teckels and Deutsch drahthaars.
Hugh Brady gives his personal insight into the world of pointers and setters with a detailed analysis of recent events, Simon Everett takes us bass fishing, David Hudson is high in the Scottish hills and Julian Schmeichel gets us taking a sharp intake not breath with his very latest ‘chiller’ entitled ‘The Reckoning,’ macabre tale where the devil comes calling on a poor farmer who rather rashly read some very old books on witchcraft.
Who remembers a page entitled AJ’s Angst? This was a page where free rein was given to our publisher Albert Titterington to select and comment from a personal perspective on topics of his choice.
When other workloads got too much Albert decided to ‘rest’ A J’s Angst but with an idea of resurrecting it in some form when he could spare the time.
Which brings us to this edition - and no you will not find an Angst among the pages.
What you will find is something called THE BACK PAGE, a page set aside for guest writers to express their personal views on topics of their choice.
Whilst AJ’s Angst was written exclusively by Albert we felt that with the expansion of the magazine and indeed sharing an international stage with THE VIRTUAL GAME FAIR it would be an excellent opportunity to widen its range of writers, topics and locations.
Like Angst before it, I predict that THE BACK PAGE will become the very first page that readers turn to when they open Irish Country Sports either in hard copy or the FREE TO READ edition found at http://www.countrysportsandcountrylife .com/magazine.htm
Or follow the link to the magazine when you drop in to THE VIRTUAL GAME FAIR at https://www.thevirtualgamefair.com/
