Ginny's Gone Dry! Local Festival Urgently Needs New Milking Goat

Ginny in her prime at the festival last year

By Justin Kelly

Just days before the Slieve Bloom Association’s Imbolc Festival, disaster has struck for their famed milking goat – “Poor auld Ginny’s gone dry,” they claim. Ginny is a family pet to the Rigney family, and she has been the superstar milking goat at the festival over the last few years. “Sadly, Ginny has gone dry and cannot be milked for this year’s festival,” a statement on the Slieve Bloom Association’s website read.


So, they need a new goat before the festival kicks off this Sunday, February 1. The Imbolc Festival 2015 or ‘milking of the goat’ festival, begins at 2pm on Sunday in Dempsey’s Pub Car Park, Cadamstown, Co. Offaly. If you are in the Laois/Offaly area and can supply a goat for the day, please email info@slievebloomassociation.com.

Imbolc Festival marks the beginning of Spring. It is most commonly held on either January 31 or February 1 each year. It is one of the four Celtic seasonal festivals – the others being Bealtane, Lughnasadh and Samhain. The Imbolc Festival was revived by The Slieve Bloom Association in 2013 and 2014. There are many customs associated with Imbolc festival, but the custom revered in Slieve Bloom, of course, is the milking of the goat. But first, they need to find the heir to Ginny’s throne!

All interested in hearing old stories and becoming versed in ancient traditions are invited to attend on the day this weekend. People can watch or take part in the ancient Imbolc Festival tradition of milking the goat on Spink Hill, and you can also churn the milk afterwards.

Mark Graham travelled to last year’s festival for The Irish Times, and after standing in “the dull bluey green glow emanating from the spruce trees” to learn about the milking festival from the Goat Milking Committee, the writer summed up the festival celebration: “Spring had sprung and the festival fields ahead promised an abundance of synthesisers and cider, but right then, a sup of goat’s milk was just perfect.” Yes, I said Goat Milking Committee!

The Slieve Bloom Association quipped a fond farewell to Ginny on their website recently: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank Ginny for her good humour and pleasant nature through the years.”

The search for the new milking queen goes on in the Slieve Bloom Mountains.