Queen of the Land
The Queen of the Land is a festival organised by Offaly Macra Na Feirme and is held in Tullamore, Co Offaly, Ireland every year in the third weekend in November.
The current holder of the title, Breda Goulding from Laois.
This year (2006) was the 41st year Offaly Macra Na Feirme played host to the Festival. The event was initiated by the Farmers Journal in 1964 as part of the Kilkenny beer festival, the competition then being taken over by Offaly Macra three years later and has since grown to become one of the prestige events to grace the Macra Na Feirme and Offaly calendars.
Contestants are judged on a range of attributes. The event is primarily a personality contest with marks also on offer for appearance, dress sense, rural knowledge and elocution. In addition, contestants undergo an interview encompassing a discussion on one of two pre-chosen topics.
A host of entertainment is organised for both contestants and the general public over the weekend. It all begins with the official opening which takes place on the Friday evening in the downstairs bar of the Bridge House Hotel followed by a band.
Saturday sees the Queens roving the streets of Tullamore in a ‘Treasure Hunt’. The girls also undergo rigorous private interviews during the day with the judging panel part of which they must speak on one of two prechosen topics.
That night the entourage moves to the Tullamore Court Hotel where the girls are put through their paces onstage followed by a band and disco.
Sunday consists of a gala Banquet in the Bridge House hotel culminating in the crowning of the Queen of the Land. The weekend concludes with music until the early hours.
The winner of Queen of the Land takes home the perpetual trophy, the beautiful tiara, a cash prize and a break for two in a local hotel.
The festival provides a major injection to the local economy with over two thousand supporters and well-wishers descending on the midlands locality. Over the three days contestants are appraised by a distinguished judging panel.
The official website is here[1] The site contains information on all the contestants, the schedule of events for the weekend and accommodation available in the area as well as other useful information.
Marking system for weekend
Personality 100 Appearance/Poise 80 Dress Sense 80 Elocution 40 Rural Knowledge 100 Topic for Discussion 100 Total 500
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