Queen of the Land Festival

The Queen of the Land Festival is an annual festival in County Offaly, Ireland, hosted by Offaly Macra na Feirme in which young women compete for the title "Queen of the Land" based on their "appearance, personality, energy, confidence, dress sense, rural knowledge and elocution".[1][2][3]

The festival, which is currently sponsored by WR Shaw, was initiated by the Irish Farmers Journal in 1964 as part of the Kilkenny beer festival. The competition was then taken over by Offaly Macra three years later.

County Meath lives up to the claim of being the "Royal County" by having had six Queens crowned over the years. Laois and Kilkenny come second with four titles each.

The only year the contest had to be postponed was 2001; this was owing to the foot-and-mouth disease crisis that hit Ireland that year. It had the effect of giving Anita Meagher the distinction of being the only Queen to rule for two years.

The host county has only tasted victory twice in the competition; Michelle Cody won in 1994 and Sinead Mulcahy in 2009, both from the Shinrone Macra Club.

2005 was the 40th anniversary of the festival. As part of the big celebrations, all former Queens were invited back to Tullamore to join in the festivities for the weekend. The festival is celebrating 54 years in 2017.

Previous winners

1960s winners
  • 1964 – Phyllis Finnegan (née Ward) – Co. Meath
  • 1965 – Marie Grey (née Curtis) – Co. Meath
  • 1966 – Joan Caulfield – Co. Roscommon
  • 1967 – Breda Keneavy – Co. Westmeath
  • 1968 – Ann Kelly (née Minahan) – Co. Clare
  • 1969 – Elleen Cloney – Co. Wexford

1970s winners
  • 1970 – Jennifer McKenna (née Redpath) – Co. Meath
  • 1971 – Moira Miller (née Hardgrove) – Co. Laois
  • 1972 – Shelia Motherway (née Hallahan) – Co. Waterford
  • 1973 – Elizabeth Sharkey (née Kelly) – Co. Wicklow
  • 1974 – Joan O’Keeffe (née Bergin) – Co. Kilkenny
  • 1975 – Mary O’Connor – Co. Cork
  • 1976 – Philomena Byrne (née Collins) – Co. Meath
  • 1977 – Mary Monaghan (née Harte) – Co. Kildare
  • 1978 – Rosaleen Gallagher (née Gilsenan) – Co. Meath
  • 1979 – Catherine Gorman (née Coffey) – Co. Kilkenny

1980s winners
  • 1980 – Aine Kent – Co. Wicklow
  • 1981 – Ornagh Darcy (née O’Mahoney) – Co. Wexford
  • 1982 – Ann Dempsey (née Ryan) – Co. Wicklow
  • 1983 – Ann Kavanagh (née Alrey) – Co. Waterford
  • 1984 – Kathleen Murphy (née Sinnott) – Co. Laois
  • 1985 – Helena Connolly (née McElvaney) – Co. Monaghan
  • 1986 – Margaret McPaddan (née Quinn) – Co. Donegal
  • 1987 – Eillsh Rahill (née Kirk) – Co. Louth
  • 1988 – Clare Dillon – Co. Galway
  • 1989 – Ann Marie McHugh – Co. Kildare

1990s winners
  • 1990 – Chris Clifford – Co. Limerick
  • 1991 – Alice Lynch – Co. Sligo
  • 1992 – Marie Vines – Co. Cork
  • 1993 – Michelle Sheerin – Co. Sligo
  • 1994 – Michelle Cody – Co. Offaly
  • 1995 – Josephine Rodgers – Co. Roscommon
  • 1996 – Audrey Salley – Co. Kildare
  • 1997 – Caroline Glancy – Co. Roscommon
  • 1998 – Lorraine Morrissey – Co. Tipperary
  • 1999 – Mairead McEvoy – Co. Kilkenny

2000s winners
  • 2000 – Anita Meagher – Co. Waterford
  • 2002 – Eimear O’Brien – Co. Wicklow
  • 2003 – Caroline Tuite – Co. Meath
  • 2004 – Catherine McCollum – Co. Cavan
  • 2005 – Elaine Murphy – Co. Kilkenny
  • 2006 – Breda Goulding – Co. Laois
  • 2007 – Yvonne Daly – Co. Cork
  • 2008 – Kate Harrison – Co. Dublin
  • 2009 – Sinead Mulcahy – Co. Offaly

2010s winners
  • 2010 – Sherine Prendergast – Co. Tipperary, South
  • 2011 – Bernie Woods – Co. Kilkenny
  • 2012 – Teresa Brennan – Co. Laois
  • 2013 – Geraldine Barrett – Carbury Region, Co. Cork
  • 2014 – Orla Murphy – Co. Galway
  • 2017 - Emma Birchall - Co. Kildare
  • 2018 – Louise Crowley – Co. Limerick

References
  1. "Elphin woman to represent county in Queen Of The Land". Roscommon Herald. 15 November 2006. Retrieved 3 October 2009.
  2. "Queen of the Land festival set to draw the masses to Offaly". The Corkman. 6 November 2008. Retrieved 3 October 2009.
  3. Feehily, Patricia (15 November 2008). "Macra search: Aisling is hoping to be crowned as Queen of the Land". Limerick Leader. Retrieved 3 October 2009.

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