Hardworking Kitty at helm of Dunmanway Show for 26 years

The Southern Star and Celtic Ross Hotel West Cork Farming Awards winner for July is Kitty Cotter – a stalwart of agricultural life in the area

WHEN Kitty Cotter was asked to help out the Dunmanway Show committee as secretary, she readily agreed but there was one condition – she’d do it for just a month.

That was 26 years ago, and she has just overseen another hugely successful show day and is already thinking about the next.

Kitty’s organisational skills, drive, and vision make her an ideal person to be at the helm of the popular day out, which features several All-Ireland classes.

Born and bred in Newcestown where she still lives, she grew up on a dairy farm with her sister and four brothers.

Aged 12 she was sent to boarding school in Dunmanway. ‘Back then you’d only be allowed home at Hallowe’en, Christmas and Easter. I loved it and made friends for life there,’ she said.

After school Kitty trained as a psychiatric nurse in Our Lady’s Hospital in Cork, where she later worked.

‘I always wanted to be either a nurse or a teacher, and I loved nursing,’ she said.

She also worked in St Raphael’s in Youghal and in St Finbarr’s before getting married in 1969. Like so many West Cork couples, she met her husband Billy Cotter in the Lilac Ballroom in Enniskeane.

‘I had to stop working then, that was the law, which I really hated as I loved nursing. The rules changed three years later, but by then I had two small kids and was really involved on the farm,’ she remembers.

But she grew to love farming almost as much as nursing. ‘I was as busy on the farm as I was in the house. I’d milk, get involved in calving, whatever needed doing. I really enjoyed it, especially the freedom of it,’ she said.

The couple had six children. Tim lives in Ballycotton, and is an engineer, married to Caroline with two children, Alyssa and Joseph; John, a farm manager, lives in Clare, where he is married to Caroline with two children, Cadhla and Feidhlim; Liam lives in Galway and works for Boston Scientific; Mary lives in Tipperary and works for Bank of Ireland; Michael farms in the home place and is a carpenter, and Catherine lives at home and works in IT.

Kitty Cotter with her daughter Mary and Christy Tully, equestrian judge. (Photo: Denis Boyle)

Sadly Billy passed away in 2015. ‘He got sick on a Saturday night, and was taken to hospital and died on a Tuesday,’ said Kitty. She describes him as being ‘horse mad’ and ‘ahead of his time.’

‘He bred horses, and was an international judge and inspector. His big interest were Irish Draught horses. In 1967, the class was revived after 40 years at the Royal Dublin Horse Show. Billy was invited to enter, and he entered Enniskeane Countess. I remember he rode her to Enniskeane, put her on a CIE freight lorry to the city, then put her on the train to Ballsbridge, walked her across the road to the RDS and went on to win the championship. That was his really big achievement,’ she proudly recalls.

He went on to judge this championship on two occasions. ‘The icing on the cake was when our son, John, went on to win the same title with a homebred mare, Enniskeane Flash, five generations on from Enniskeane Countess.’

It was through Billy that Kitty got involved with Dunmanway show. ‘I was a member for a long time, but wasn’t involved in any official way. Helen O’Donoghue, a friend of mine and former secretary became unwell and I was asked to take notes in her absence at a meeting. I said I’d do it for a month but I think I’ve broken the record for the longest month at this stage! Sadly, poor Helen passed and I stayed on,’ she said.

As well as raising her family and farming, Kitty also worked as a home help for 20 years, and readily gave up her holidays from this role to help organise the show. There’s an incredible amount of work involved in bringing it all together.

‘You have to manage entries, organise sponsorship, trade stands, judges, and an awful lot more day-to-day,’ she said.

But despite the endless hours, and a constantly ringing phone, it’s a labour of love.

Kitty stresses she’s helped out by a hugely competent committee including chairman Reggie Chambers and her daughter Catherine who started out helping Helen when she was just 13. ‘So she’s been involved longer than me!’ jokes Kitty.

Kitty was also on the Board of the Irish Shows Association for 16 years, only stepping down last November.

Catherine is the association’s current national PRO. Kitty is also involved with the Irish Draught Horse Breeders Association and is secretary of the Cork/Kerry Branch.

She has also been involved in Cork Summer Show for the past 46 years. ‘Billy was on the horse committee of the show. Our son Michael was born around the time of the show’s AGM and he came to see me in hospital and told me he’d got me a present – membership of the show, and he said that at the next meeting I’d be made an elected member and the rest is history!’

Kitty was involved in reviving the arts and crafts side of Cork Show along with Dr Ruth Quill. An avid knitter, she said the talent that’s showcased annually is incredible, especially since Covid when lots of people took up crafting. The domestic section at Dunmanway Show is outstanding with over 800 entries annually.

Stand-out memories from Dunmanway Show over the years are, not surprisingly, weather related, which is the one thing Kitty can’t control.

‘I remember one year we had torrential rain. A cow going into her class, how shall we put it, had an accident, and her owner scooped half a bucket of water off the top of the ground, cleaned her off and she went on to win! That year we only took £200 on the gate and lots of winners left their prize money after to help support us. That’s typical of the spirit at the show.’

Another stand-out memory is introducing an All-Ireland final, a young handler’s competition, for Dunmanway Show, 10 years ago. It is now sponsored by Horse Sport Ireland.

‘That’s been a brilliant success and some of the young people who have won have gone on to have very successful careers in the industry.’

The show has expanded and developed a lot over the years. ‘I remember when the catalogue was hand written entirely. Then we embraced the computer, and now this year we’re mostly taking online entries, using the ISA SuperShow Platform, in a bid to be more sustainable,’ she said.

But crucially its spirit has stayed the same and the enjoyment experienced by the different generations 26 years ago, is as evident today.

Aged 78, Kitty jokes that she’s been planning her retirement for the past five years.

'How much notice do you have to give?’ she laughs. But along with the committee, she’s already thinking about next year’s event.

‘It starts all over again, the day after the show. But when you look around on show day and see all the different generations having so much fun there’s so much satisfaction, and it’s all worthwhile.’

Owen O'Driscoll & Associates – Why we love West Cork farming

Owen O'Driscoll: Quality service for clients.

OWEN O’Driscoll & Associates was formed in 1995 by Owen O’Driscoll, a significant Agri-Environmental Consultancy firm in the South West Region servicing clients in Cork and Kerry.

Farming business is now strictly regulated with huge changes required by farmers to meet our Climate action plan commitments.

We provide a professional service to optimise and protect your farm income. We aim to eliminate the stress of non compliance.

We support all of the various EU farm Schemes such as ACRES, BISS,CRISS ,Eco Schemes, TAMS, Nitrates, Cross Compliance and the Organic Farm Schemes.

Our firm has over twenty five years experience in farm planning and has built up a reputation for providing a professional service in an approachable manner. We ensure our clients get the optimum farm income and that their farm payments are protected.

Our reputation and professional farm advice has led the business to significant organic growth. Our growth and success has brought substantial experience and depth of expertise in every sector of the Agri Business.

Our growing team share the original ethos of dedication to quality of service and practical support and advice for our clients. We provide a confidential independent professional service.

We are delighted to come onboard with the West Cork Farming Awards and sponsor the July winner.

Agricultural Shows are the highlight of the Summer season for farmers, farm families and the wider community, showcasing the agrifood and bloodstock industries. Aside from shows’ contribution to the rural economy, they provide a great community event, with local clubs and schools getting involved. Agricultural shows provide entertainment for all the family.

We wish to congratulate Kitty Cotter on her many years of service to Dunmanway Agricultural Show and to the Irish Show Association, she is indeed a very worthy winner of the July West Cork Farming Award.

Know somebody deserving of a West Cork Farming Award?

Monthly award winners could be a farmer, someone working in agri-business, agri-entrepreneurship, a farming organisation or even someone involved in education or research and development. The awards panel will be looking for examples of great work, innovation and overall contribution to West Cork farming and agricultural life.

If you would like to suggest someone to be considered for a monthly farming award, please contact us by email on [email protected] or call 028 21200