Tribute to former Castlewellan show secretary Violet Bell MBE

In a tribute on Facebook, the show committee said Violet, who lived in Rathfriland, was and has remained the heart and soul of the show, having taken over as show secretary in 1985 until 2012, 27 years at the helm.

"There wasn’t a person in the show world the country over that hadn’t met or heard of Violet Bell from Castlewellan Show,” the tribute continued.

"A past board member of the Northern Ireland Shows Association, Irish Shows Association and an influence within the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations. Violet often told of her show experiences good or bad, she could have told stories of judges going missing, exhibitors forgetting their livestock and the many excuses told after closing dates, the list goes on…. She was simply an encyclopaedia of Agricultural Shows.

"Violet was recognised in the Queens honours for her services to Agriculture in Northern Ireland. Violet accompanied by her daughters was awarded her MBE on the 16th July 1997, just 3 days after show day.

"Violet was a faithful member of 2nd Rathfriland Presbyterian Church, she was always sure to be at church the Sunday after the show when all would have understood why she was having a day off, the show breakdown waited until after church-time,” the committee tribute continued.

"Violet's enthusiasm for our show will probably never be matched. She had a vision to make our show the biggest one day show in Northern Ireland and she succeeded. Our current show secretary and committee are determined to continue Violet’s great work.

“Violet’s name will live on in the future at our show, her name is synonymous with Castlewellan Show, we would never express enough what an overwhelming influence Violet had to the success of our show, a stedfast stalwart, who will simply never be forgotten. We are privileged to have Violet’s daughter Fiona as one of our show directors and other family members involved in the show.

"We extend heartfelt sympathy to Violet’s family her daughters Fiona and Heather and their husbands David and David and her adored grandsons Blair, Matthew Christian and favourite granddaughter Georgina. We also extend our sympathy to her brother and sisters and family circle,” the tribute concluded.