If you want to see rural Ireland at its very best, a trip to the Tullamore Show will give local and overseas visitors the very essence of the country.
The event, which incorporates the Powers Gold Label National Livestock Show, attracted over 40,000 visitors yesterday. It is a microcosm of the best rural Ireland has to offer, from home-made soda bread to prime bulls.
The location of the show is one of its main attractions. It is held on the grounds of Charleville Castle, about a mile outside Tullamore on the Birr Road. Once a year the parklands around the beautiful old castle are turned into carparks, all full yesterday as thousands took the day out.
The charm of the event is that it is still a local county show with the added attraction of the national livestock event.
Yesterday, for instance, it was possible to view the All Ireland Single Potato competition in one corner of the show and vet the Supreme Champion of the event less than 200 yards away.
Down at the lower end of the site, where the sheepdog speed trials were being held, Ireland's bawdiest balladeer, Richie Kavanagh, was pumping out his songs as men, women and children lay out on the grass in the sultry heat of the afternoon.
Over to the left, a new generation of young farmers were breaking open the soil. This time it was the U-14 All Ireland loy digging competition.
As with most big rural events, the smell might may be that of crushed grass but the sound is the voice of Carrie Acheson, the veteran of the Ploughing Championships and major shows around the country.
On the PA, Carrie kept updating the crowd on what was happening on the grounds, giving times for the cookery demonstrations, pointing out where to find the best dressed granny competition and reuniting lost children with their parents.
But there was serious business being done on the grounds too. Dr Paddy Wall, Chief Executive of the Food Safety Authority, was there with his latest weapon to fight bad hygiene practices. This is a presentation featuring two characters, Sam and Ella, who visit shows and schools in effort to teach young children about food safety and proper hygiene.
"They went down a treat here. The farmers and their families really enjoyed this bit of theatre and it got the basic message across about the importance of good food safety and hygiene practices," he said.
He added there had been a tremendous response to the call lines where the public could complain about poor hygiene practices.
He said it was time the focus was taken away from the farmers who, in his opinion, were doing a very good job of producing clean food.
The official opening of the Show was performed by Mairead McGuinness of the Ear to the Ground television programme and there was a host of VIPs including the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen.
Representatives of various embassies attended, as did the leaders of the two main farm organisations, Mr Tom Parlon of the Irish Farmers' Association and Mr Pat O'Rourke of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association.
The international flavour of the day came when the President of the World Congress of Simmental Cattle Breeders addressed the official opening in his native German.
