The Beginning: 1944

Extract from 1st Catalogue of Scariff Show Thursday 14th September 1944.
Foreward

"Scariff is holding its first Show. The Show is being run under the auspices of the East Clare Farmers' Club. To you who purchased this catalogue, we have a word to say: This Club is an infant, 12 months old, but a strong, healthy infant that will grow to vigorous, honest, enthusiastic and effective maturity. "God helps those who help themselves." The avowed aims of this non-political and non-sectarian club are to strive to improve the conditions of life of every member of the rural community. The farmers, workers, merchants and professional people of East Clare have come to realise the futility of aimless discussion and wishful thinking. They have left the cross-roads and the street-corners and have formed a club. They have found that Christian co-operation, untinged with the selfishness which bids fair to nullify the efforts and sacrifices that shine in a golden chain from St. Patrick to Padraig Pearse, can put them on the road to that spiritual and temporal self-help obtainable only when surplus energy is directed into the proper channels.

If you think the Show is a success, you admit that the East Clare Farmers' Club is a success; and if you then fail to join the club you are guilty of social suicide and are failing to fulfil your role as a player on the stage of life. The club has turned a corner on the rocky road of progress. A long stretch of important milestones lie before it. It will pass them one by one, but the speed at which it travels to the goal of complete spiritual, social and temporal contentment depends on you. Think it over!"

With thanks to the efforts of Laurence Slattery whose diligent work over the years collecting photos, newspaper articles & old catalogues has ensured a record of the history of the Show Society. May he Rest in Peace.