Family Fun at the Fair Elaine Munn’s Highlights

Family Fun at the Game Fair - reflections by Elaine Munn

Every year, the Irish Game Fair at Shanes Castle features several attractions to help make memories for the whole family, which is why several generations of families who started off at the fair at Clandeboye in 1979 still come to make memories each year.

Every year we add new themes to existing attractions at the Fair which have family appeal. This year it was a look at the historical link of Shanes Castle and Antrim with the Vikings who sailed up the Bann and gave rise to the legend of the Red Hand of Ulster and the O’Neills. Within a wider historically accurate living history village, we had a Viking encampment complete with a real Viking longboat and displays of Viking warfare.

The second theme was enhancing our angling facet of the fair, by adding a new Angling Fair organised by Stevie Munn to the existing angling attractions of the ‘Salmon & Woodcock Pavilion’ and the ‘Put & Take Fishery,’ sponsored by DAERA and organised by Bobby Bryans, Paul Smith (AKA the Leprechaun) and their team.

Here, Elaine Munn, in words and photographs, gives just one family’s perspective on a special day out for a young lad:

Elaine said: “My Grandson Matthew had a wonderful day at the Irish Game Fair in Shanes Castle. He caught his first trout and he was just over the moon! I took him round the Fly Dressers’ Pavilion and the story of the fish got bigger and better every time he told it … the last telling I honestly believed he had caught a 12lb salmon. By the time he got home, he had caught a Great White Whale!

Matthew also had a go at the Bug Dipping, and I can’t thank Susan, Maddy and Dorothy enough for their time and patience with him to explain the different bugs - he loved it! Thank you to all the Children’s Fishing Team for all their hard work and patience, and for making super memories for my Grandson and lots of other families. Kids really do learn to fish at the game fairs!

Matthew with his Mum Tammy at the Fair

Here he learns the rudiments of holding the rod the correct way A quick learner in no time Matthew has his first fish on!

A little adjustment ……. Honestly it really was THIS big

Away from the fishing he had his ‘sights’ on this stand next And on the way back from the super put & take fishery these hounds were spotted on their way to the Main Arena