We are now looking for nominations from people involved in farming, the agri industry and members of the general public of people they feel are worthy of being considered for these awards. Each category winner will receive a specially-commissioned trophy and a prize to the value of €500.
THE inaugural West Cork Farming Awards, run by The Southern Star in conjunction with the Celtic Ross Hotel, Rosscarbery, proved a great success last autumn and we are delighted to announce that nominations are now being taken for our second annual awards, which will be presented in September.
Being a predominantly rural area, it is appropriate to honour farmers, their families, workers and agri businesses in West Cork for their endeavour and achievements. There are so many hard-working people toiling on the land, producing food of the high calibre for which the area is noted, and many more involved in the wider agri industry, so we are delighted to recognise their hard work through these awards.
Last year produced a very high calibre of winner, including Dan MacSweeney, chief executive of the Carbery Group (International award); Aidan McCarthy, Schull (Young Farmer), Dan Connolly of Connolly Dairy Services, Timoleague (Innovation & Vision) and Peggy O’Brien (RIP) of Lislevane (Hall of Fame).
This year there are five categories, as follows:
- Young Farmer award
- Innovation and Vision award
- Dairy Farmer of the Year
- Drystock Farmer of the Year
- Hall of Fame award
We are now looking for nominations from people involved in farming, the agri industry and members of the general public of people they feel are worthy of being considered for these awards. Each category winner will receive a specially-commissioned trophy and a prize to the value of €500.
Having chosen the category on the entry form for which you wish to make a nomination, tell us briefly why you think the person is deserving of this award. The final deadline for accepting nominations is Friday, July 22nd, 2016 and they should be sent to: West Cork Farming Awards, Southern Star, Ilen Street, Skibbereen, Co Cork.
There is also an option to download the nomination form here on our website, to fill it out and submit it electronically. If you have any enquiries, call us on 028-21200.
Nominations are being accepted as of now and we would encourage people to get them in to us early as we will be profiling the shortlisted three nominees in each category in these West Cork Farming & Fisheries pages in August and September.
The judging panel will be chaired by Con Downing, editor of The Southern Star, and will again include Billy Kelleher, regional manager of Teagasc Cork West; JJ Walsh, sales and marketing manager of the Carbery Group, and John Buckley, a former Macra Young Farmer of the Year. Decisions of the judges will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
The shortlists in the various categories will be announced in August and the winners will be presented with their awards during a gala West Cork farming family day in the Celtic Ross Hotel, Rosscarbery, on Sunday, September 25th next.
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