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Balmoral Show gets under way at Maze prison site Balmoral Show gets under way at Maze prison site
(34 minutes later)
Ireland's biggest agricultural and food show has opened its doors and, for the first time in more than a century, it is outside Belfast.Ireland's biggest agricultural and food show has opened its doors and, for the first time in more than a century, it is outside Belfast.
The Balmoral Show is now located on the former Maze prison site near Lisburn, County Antrim.The Balmoral Show is now located on the former Maze prison site near Lisburn, County Antrim.
For the past few days, more than 500 exhibitors have been preparing for the 145th show.
Up to 80,000 people are expected to attend the three-day event.Up to 80,000 people are expected to attend the three-day event.
Members of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) voted in favour last June of moving their headquarters to the former prison site. Prince Edward, who is patron of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, (RUAS) has arrived at the grounds.
He spoke to officials and local politicians who were among the welcoming line-up.
The roads around the site were congested on Wednesday morning as thousands of people made their way to the show.
First Minister Peter Robinson said he hoped any problems with access would be overcome.
"We'll look at what happens in the next couple of days and look at the possibility of doing something that might take away some of the difficulties that occur this year," he said.
For the past few days, more than 500 exhibitors have been preparing for the 145th show.
The new site at the Maze has been named Balmoral Park.The new site at the Maze has been named Balmoral Park.
It it has been transformed in recent weeks to accommodate the many exhibitions and hundreds of animals that will be on display. Mr Robinson described how the new park has been built on the rubble of the former H-blocks.
Meanwhile, visitors to this year's show have been urged to use free public transport. He said the significance of this was to show that Northern Ireland had "moved on".
Last June, members of the RUAS voted in favour of moving their headquarters to the former prison site.
The park has been transformed in recent weeks to accommodate the many exhibitions and hundreds of animals on display.
Meanwhile, visitors to this year's show are urged to use free public transport.
The Balmoral Show website contains details of how to get to the show by car or by public transport.The Balmoral Show website contains details of how to get to the show by car or by public transport.