Kildare bids for Blue Jean Country Queen crown
Eva Brosnan from Athy will represent Kildare in the 2026 Blue Jean Country Queen festival
A student teacher from Athy will represent Kildare in the 2026 Blue Jean Country Queen festival, organised by Meath Macra na Feirme in collaboration with the community of Athboy.
Eva Brosnan is Kildare's representative in the 2026 festival.
The twenty-one young women contesting the event will arrive in Athboy, Co. Meath, for this year's festival on Friday May 29.
Meath Macra na Feirme and the people of Athboy have planned a huge array of events to entertain the entire weekend, including two free family fun days, a free BBQ, karaoke, and a weekend full of night-time entertainment.
Entries this year come from Macra clubs all over Ireland, as well as Northern Ireland and France.
Eva is a member of Athy and is a student teacher. Her hobbies include Macra, music, football, travelling and Gaeilge. She has completed all singing grades, and Sam Maguire once stayed at her house!
Eva and the other twenty-one Queens will arrive in Athboy on Friday 29 May. Over the course of the bank holiday weekend, she will have an experience like no other. To get herself acclimatised, Eva will first attend a fun team-building exercise at Causey Farm with all her fellow Queens. After that, she will meet her local host family, who she will stay with for the entire weekend.
The festival will officially start on Friday evening with The Nana Moons Pub Crawl through Athboy. There will also be a music session in the Darnley Lodge Hotel.
It's an early start for Eva on Saturday, as the Queens will have their private interviews with the judges in the morning. That afternoon, she and the other Queens will attend the Larry Kelly Plumbing and Heating Saturday Street Market, featuring live music and dancing; enjoy the festival's main sponsor, Le Chéile Credit Union's annual Family Fun Day and BBQ; before heading to Floods Bar for karaoke until early evening.
That night, Eva will have her public interview at the McNamara Feeds Queens' Interviews in St James' Hall with former 2 Johnnies co-host Maura Fay, before getting a chance to party with The Rurals, followed by DJ Smiley K in The Darnley Lodge Hotel.
Sunday morning, Eva and her fellow Queens will march through the main street of Athboy towards the Fair Green for the Fone Geek Lark in the Park, a free family fun day with children's entertainment, live music, food stalls, and a Toy Tractor Run – where each child entered has the chance to win a ride-on John Deere Gator, sponsored by Meath Farm Machinery Ltd.
The Queens will get the day officially underway with an "Old McDonald Had a Farm"- themed fancy dress football match.
That night, Eva and the other Queens will change out of their fancy dress and into formal wear, joining sponsors, committee and other dignitaries for the JMCK Building Solutions Gala Banquet in The Darnley Lodge Hotel.
Once the banquet has concluded, the Queens will do another quick change back into their jeans and gather in the Darnley Lodge Hotel to find out who will be crowned 2026 Blue Jean Country Queen, before dancing the night away to The Blarneys, followed by DJ Smiley K.
The entire weekend is mostly about having a bit of craic, but there are prizes to be won as well. The 2026 Blue Jean Country Queen will receive a tiara, golden sash and perpetual cup, presented to her by the 2025 Queen, Amy Coffey from Waterford.
The first-prize winner will also receive €1,000 from Le Chéile Credit Union, while second prize receives €500 from Farrelly Tree Care Services and third prize €300 from Meath Farm Machinery Ltd.
Tickets for the 2026 Blue Jean Country Queen Festival and further information can be found at www.bluejeancountryqueen.com or on social media by following the Blue Jean Country Queen Festival on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.