CLONAKILTY Macra’s Olive Linehan will carry the hopes of Carbery Macra in the 2024 Blue Jean Country Queen Festival this weekend – and she’ll have the support of Carbery’s Mr Personality along the way!
The Country Queen festival takes place over the weekend in Athboy, Co Meath, starting on Friday May 31st, with 23 women representing Macra groups around the country.
Olive is a member of Clonakilty Macra. (Photo: Martin Walsh)
Olive is a member of Clonakilty Macra and has been chosen as the Carbery representative. While she goes for the Country Queen title, she will have someone experienced on the festival stage in her corner: her boyfriend Conor O’Mahony was Carbery’s representative in the Mr Personality contest in April!
Conor took part in the Mr Personality event in Clonmel, where he played the accordion for the on-stage section.
Olive and Conor are both members of UCC Macra as well as Clonakilty Macra, and Olive has just finished her third year nursing exams at the university, while Conor is studying history and geography as he pursues a career in teaching.
Conor O’Mahony, above, was Carbery’s representative in the Mr Personality contest.
Olive joined Clonakilty Macra as that is where Conor is from. ‘I’m actually from Milford but I spend a lot of time in Clonakilty as that is where Conor is from, so it made sense to join there,’ she explains.
Members of Olive’s family including parents Jim and Edel will be joining the Carbery crew heading to the Royal County for the Country Queen festival. Olive’s father Jim is a mechanic by trade but the family do hobby farm, rearing pigs, chickens, and sheep.
Olive believes Macra can play in important development role in rural life.
‘I’d recommend Macra to anyone, I’ve taken part in so many things there – drama, volleyball, debating; we do so many different things, there’s something for everyone, no matter what your background,’ said Olive.
Behind all the fun, however, Olive believes members are picking up useful social skills . ‘I’m going to be very nervous going on stage but it definitely helps having taken part in so many things through Clonakilty Macra.
‘I didn’t know anything about public speaking before I took part in the debating competition, and I was never involved in drama before I took part with Macra, and we won the Macra All-Ireland drama competition. It’s a great way of learning public speaking. And it’s all good craic.’
Meath Macra na Feirme and the people of Athboy have planned a huge array of events to entertainment for the entire weekend, including two family fun days, a free barbecue, karaoke and plenty of night-time entertainment Entries this year come from Macra clubs all over the country and even a Queen from Latvia.
Olive and the other 22 queens will attend a fun team-building exercise at Causey Farm, before they meet their local host family where she will stay for the weekend.
On Saturday morning the judges will carry out private interviews with the contestants, and after more enterainment, they will face their public interview in the Darnley Lodge Hotel with iRadio’s Conor Woods.
‘You get an opportunity to do a performance piece for the public interview, so I play a little bit of fiddle so I hope to play a tune for that,’ said Olive.
After fun days, toy tractor runs, a ‘Barbenheimer’ themed football match and a town parade, the queens will gather for the gala banquet in the Darnley Lodge Hotel before a costume change into the denims to find out who will be crowned 2024 Blue Jean Country Queen.
The entire weekend is mostly about having that bit of craic but there is a prize to be won as well.
The 2024 Blue Jean Country Queen will receive a tiara, sash, perpetual cup and a prize of €1,000.
Olive is not the only one carrying local hopes. Martina O’Leary proudly represents Seandun in the 2024 Blue Jean Country Queen Festival.
Martina O'Leary will be representing Seandun in the Blue Jeans Country Queen festival.
Martina is from West Cork but is a member of Ballincollig Macra and a Quality Assurance Assistant Manager at ABP Food Group. She is fond of socialising with friends, taking leisurely walks, binge-watching Netflix series, and playing the guitar.
