With 140 agricultural shows across Ireland, this scene is hugely popular with competitors and spectators. Every year thousands of people spend months of preparation before travelling the country to take part in the competitions every weekend. We will be there with them, viewing the competitions, meeting the characters, the animals and those who have the difficult task of judging the competitions.
Throughout 2021 our cameras and crews have been capturing the stories of the people of all ages and backgrounds who vie for the top spots in an amazing range of competitions. We see competitors giving everything to be Best in Show — from cattle to cakes, sheep-shearing to basket weaving, show-jumping to new technology, not forgetting the best vegetables, dog agility, art and craft.
The series travels to shows throughout the country including a pedigree sheep show in Wicklow, a dog show in Co. Mayo, Balmoral Show, to the Kilmacanogue Horse show, we learn about the Connemara Pony show scene and we follow the organisers and competitors of the Mín na Croise ‘Virtual’ Show.
This is a lively, perceptive and entertaining lightly formatted factual entertainment series about show-people – their remarkable personalities, talents, brains, rivalries, trade secrets, skills and stories. What does it take to be a prize-winner? To be the best?
Travelling to the most beautiful parts of our island, we capture breathtaking footage, with beautifully directed sequences to set the scene, mood and ultimately take the viewer into the world of the rosette winners.
We learn that showing – be it animal or vegetable, can be a family tradition. Our families look at their long association with this world – where they won their first rosette, where in the world they have travelled to in their pursuit of the red ribbon, how they have progressed- or not -as the case may be. We see family archive and photographs of their achievements.
Beidh Aonach Amárach has always been about people – their passions and talent.
BEIDH AONACH AMÁRACH is made by independent production company, Strident Media, with support from Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund, for BBC Gaeilge and TG4.
BEIDH AONACH AMÁRACH was produced and directed by Bernadette Morris and was Executive Produced by Mairéad Ní Nuadháin and Kelda Crawford-McCann for Strident Media; Áine Walsh for Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcasting Fund; Deirbhile Ní Churraighín for TG4 and Karen Kirby for BBC NI.
