Recently, I was the Guest of Honour at the National Hall of Fame Awards in the Sheraton Hotel in Athlone. The National Hall of Fame Awards recognises individuals who have contributed to evolving livestock breeding in Ireland. And what a special evening it was.
It was Michael Flanagan, who first coined the idea for the awards ceremony in 2003, stating that the awards were a way of recognising people who volunteered so much of their life to breeding, showing, adjudicating, administering, and promoting their specific breed
I was thrilled to be there to present the awards on the night, and to chat to the winners and present on the night.
It was a delight to present a Lifetime Achievement Award to fellow Offaly woman Freda Kinnarney, well-known across the country for her sterling work with the flagship Tullamore Show.
Michael Flanagan, the CEO of the awards committee described her 28 years of solid dedication, service, organisation, and a deep commitment to running the show.
There was a total of 21 nominees on the night - from the bovine, equine and ovine industries.
The winners were:
Irish Angus Cattle Society: Norman and Joy Little;
Irish Aubrac Cattle Breed Society: Derry and Sean O’Driscoll;
Belgian Blue Cattle Breeding Society: Jarleth Duggan;
Irish Charolais Cattle Society: Joe Gilfillan;
Commercial Cattle Exhibitors Society Ltd: Daniel O’Donovan;
Irish Hereford Breed Society: John Ludgate;
Irish Holstein Friesian Association: Carlisle Smith;
Irish Limousin Cattle Society: Paul Sykes;
Salers Cattle Society of Ireland: Tom Mulcahy;
Irish Shorthorn Cattle Society: James Whelan;
Irish Simmental Cattle Society: Alice Mullin;
Irish Draught Horse Breeders Association: Patrick Mc Carthy;
Irish Draught Horse Society: Pat McHugh;
Irish Donkey Society: Michael Tutty;
Belgian Beltex Sheep: Jimmy Killilea;
Irish Charolais Sheep Society: Eddie O’Gorman;
Irish Suffolk Sheep Society: Michael Brennan;
Suffolk Sheep Society South of Ireland Branch: Arthur O’Keeffe;
Irish Texel Sheep Society: Sean McGee;
Irish Vendeen Sheep Society: John Lynch;
National Hall of Fame Farmers Oscar Award 2020: Adrian Keegan;
National Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award 2020: Freda Kinnarney.