BANTRY  dairy and beef farmer Corney Buckley was recently recognised for his voluntary service to farmers and the community at the prestigious Paddy Fitzgerald Awards held in Adare,
Co Limerick.

The biennial Paddy Fitzgerald Awards honours the work and community activism of Paddy Fitzgerald, who served as Munster Vice-President of IFA in the 1980s and was also involved in a number of community initiatives.

These awards featured nine nominees put forward by each IFA executive throughout the province of Munster.

Corney from Aughaville, Bantry was the West Cork representative and was declared the overall winner on the night with Tadhg Healy of West Cork IFA presenting him with the award.

“I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of the farmers in West Cork. Last month we marked 60 years since the beginning of the Farmers Rights’ Campaign from Bantry. It has been an honour to continue the work of the 16 men who joined NFA President Rickard Deasy on that 217-mile march to Dublin,” said Corney.

Married to Sheila with two adult children, John and Ann, Corney now farms alongside John in a farming partnership supplying milk to Drinagh Co-op and Durrus Farmhouse Cheese.

Corney became an active member of Caheragh Macra na Feirme where he served as Club Chairman and also Chairman of Carbery Young Farmers Discussion Group.

He was heavily involved in local initiatives, including helping with the parish carnival, fundraisers, field days and organising fundraising card drives for the parish senior citizen’s Christmas Party.

He competed extensively across the county in a wide array of competitions and always took every opportunity to mentor and coach new Macra members as they joined the club.

He continues to be a patron member of Macra na Feirme to this day.

Corney’s love of farming brought him to buying one of the family farms from his parents and in 1980 he won the Munster Dairy Farmer of the Year award.

He has been an active member of IFA for over 50 years and has spent the last 20 years representing West Cork IFA at a national level and has held several pivotal roles within the organisation.

A tireless advocate for farmers’ livelihoods, Corney travelled up and down the country and as far as Europe to lobby TDs, MEPs and Ministers.

The absolute highlight of his protesting career was driving his tractor from Bantry to a protest in Dublin, alongside his then five-year-old grandson, Gearóid, in November 2021.

This generated considerable national media attention for that protest.He has played a central role, on two separate occasions, in honouring the participants of the 1966 Farmers Rights March to Dublin. As West Cork Chairman in 2016 he organised the unveiling of a memorial plaque in Bantry.

He was again deeply involved in organising the 60th anniversary commemoration in recent weeks.

Corney served for 12 years on the board of Drinagh Co-op, two of these as vice-chairman and also represented Drinagh Co-Op on the Board of the Carbery Group.

Corney is a man of action in times of crisis and a quiet pillar of support for those in need.

During times of heavy snowfall, he transported hospital staff to and from work and co-ordinated others to do the same.

He also made countless phone calls to secure vital emergency generators for local farmers during Storm Ophelia.

He has repeatedly stepped up during local emergencies, including fighting gorse fires threatening properties and forestry, and responding to community flooding.

Micheal Looney from Macroom, who served as West Cork IFA Secretary when Corney was Chairman, said that Corney was known for his discretion and empathy and his work behind the scenes, helping people to navigate sensitive personal and farming related difficulties, has been absolutely amazing.

He has a deep connection to the mountain-top Marian Year Cross in Dromore, which his father helped to build in 1954.

Following restoration in the 1990’s in which Corney played a major role he would transport priests, people and chairs up the hill by tractor and trailer when Mass was said there on August 15.

As his children transitioned to secondary education, Corney co-founded the Parents Association and went on to become Chairman of the Board of Management, a role that ultimately led to his appointment to the Cork and Ross Diocesan Property Committee.

Corney has always been deeply passionate about local development, and his crown jewel has to be Bantry Agricultural Show.

He was part of the driving force that revived the show back in 1996, and just two years later, he took the helm as Chairman for a fantastic ten-year run.

Corney and his team poured an unbelievable amount of hard work into fundraising and securing sponsorship for the show.

Excess money raised was given back to local charities such as Co-Action, Bantry Hospice, Bantry Hospital, Cancer Connect and Arc House.

He suggested the idea of getting people to the show by boat, a dream he eventually made a reality. Corney and his team also successfully hosted the AGM of the Irish Shows Association in Bantry
in 2008. He is incredibly passionate about bringing people together and is a familiar welcoming face at local events, stewarding and organising with Bantry and Caheragh Macra, Colomane Threshing and Colomane Racing events.

Corney is a dedicated blood donor and is a devoted supporter of Enable Ireland having participated in their annual walk and cycle fundraisers for nearly four decades.

ollowing his long years of support for so many causes and the assistance he has provided for so many people, the decision of the judges in Adare was greeted by a huge wave of approval.

IFA President Francie Gorman; Chair of FBD Trust Michael Berkery; Corney Buckley; Billy Kelleher MEP; Chair of Paddy Fitzgerald Awards Martin Stapleton and Sean Casey, Manager, FBD Skibbereen.