TRIM HAYMAKING FESTIVAL
Scurlogstown Olympiad, Co. Meath
THMF is a fun filled family event promoting the cultural history of rural Ireland and Irish heritage in general. Achieved through music, song and dance as well as displaying traditional work methods & pastimes, with Guinness World Record attempts; it is a magical day that is caters for all ages.
We have many sections and events on the day ranging from traders and their stalls and markets to kids fun areas. Listen to poetry or dance away at live music stages with some of the best acts in traditional Irish and country music.
With pet farms & various exhibitions, there is always a lot of activity going on for all the family to enjoy.

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We could not have predicted that the ground would become so waterlogged on Sunday. We had genuinely hoped that the ground would have dried out, especially as there was no rain forecast for the early hours of the morning. Unfortunately, despite our optimism and preparations, the conditions did not improve as needed.
Crucially, emergency services—including the Fire Brigade, Red Cross, and An Garda Síochána—would not have been able to leave the field in the event of an emergency. As the OPW granted us an event licence for use of the Porchefields for the few days, we are bound by strict stipulations to protect and conserve these grounds, and we take this responsibility very seriously.
It would have been irresponsible to run the festival under these conditions, and our general insurance would not have covered us in such circumstances.
We would also like to extend our sincere apologies to the Clady Vintage Group and anyone that made the effort to come to the field with vintage machinery and the Donkey Breed Society NI. Both groups have always put on fantastic displays for the public and are a massive part of the essence and spirit of our festival. Their dedication and enthusiasm have contributed so much to the unique atmosphere we all cherish, and we are truly sorry for the disappointment this cancellation has caused.
The Scurlogstown Olympiad is a CLG, run entirely by dedicated volunteers. We hold this heritage-based festival to promote Irish rural farming heritage, raise funds for local charities, and bring joy to our community. Over six months of hard work and planning have gone into this event. As a CLG, we do not have event insurance, we have general liability insurance that covers all of our events.
We know how disappointing this is for our traders, many of whom our trade stand coordinator has spent months and even years building relationships with. Please know that we will be reaching out to you in the coming days to try and mend fences and answer your questions. However, as the volunteers reaching out have jobs and commitments our responses may be sporadic.
We are truly heartbroken, and we are deeply sorry to everyone who has been affected by this decision. Thank you for your understanding, your support, and your commitment to preserving our shared heritage.
With sincere apologies,
The Scurlogstown Olympiad Committee
We had truly hoped the festival could go ahead and are incredibly heartbroken to have to cancel. We sincerely apologise to everyone for the disappointment and inconvenience this causes.
Rest assured that when the ground conditions improve and with the OPWs permission, we will treat the field accordingly to bring it back to it's natural state. This field is part of a national monument and we do respect the OPWs ownership and the people of Trim.
THE MAIN EVENT OF THE DAY
Our main event of the day focuses on bringing in of the first hay of the year, by hand or by vintage machinery.
Before the industrial revolution and modern day methods of farming our forefathers were truly unrelenting giants in their fields. The physicality of what they had to endure was astounding.
THE OLD DAYS OF HAYMAKING
Our forefathers would begin preparations for haymaking in the early months of the year. They would often top dress the field with manure which would serve to encourage growth and abundance. This would normally have been carried out using a working farm horse pulling a cart that was carrying the manure. In some cases the work would have been carried out using manpower alone.
In the summer months when the yield was plentiful the process of bringing in the hay begun. Using a scythe was insanely back breaking work and it is what farmers in Ireland used to take in the crop. A scythe was a custom built tool that could be found on every farm across the land. See our Scythe Cutting Competition.
When the hay was eventually gathered and cropped it was left to dry out. In those days you could count on seasonal weather! After periods of time the hay would be turned so the bottom half enjoyed as much sunshine as the top. The drying out process usually lasted weeks. It would then be pitch forked into haystacks which would have hay ropes twisted around the stacks to keep them secure.

