Farmer Michael is Mr January, Mr March and now Mr October!

CROSSBARRY’S Michael Cronin thought he left his bare-chested modelling days behind him, having starred in the popular Irish Farmer calendars of 2017 and 2018.

However, much to his surprise, the part-time farmer and carer for his mum Margaret and aunts Nora and Mary, has now discovered he features in the ‘The Best of Farmers Calendar Vol 2’ for 2022. Last year’s calendar had unfortunately been put on hold due to the pandemic.

Michael told The Southern Star that it was his wife Lisa who first suggested he should do it, in 2016.

‘I said no the first time and then she said it was for the charity Bóthar, so she took a picture of me and sent it off and I didn’t think any more of it to be honest,’ said Michael.

‘Then we got the email form Ciara Ryan, the organiser, who said she wanted me to take part. I was pretty reluctant to do it, but again I was persuaded and I was Mr January that year.’

Needless to say, when the best-selling calendar was released, Michael got plenty of slagging from his friends and he even appeared on The Ray D’Arcy Show on RTÉ1 to help publicise the calendar, now in its 12th year.

And such was his popularity, the former Hammies student and UCC graduate, was asked to be ‘Mr March’ the following year.

‘I only found out about the “Best of” calendar when Ciara messaged me and I was honoured to feature in it as Mr October.

‘I didn’t expect it – I thought it was dead and buried by now!’ joked Michael.