WITH just weeks to go before the 11th West Cork Farming Awards, which are held at the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery on November 6, we will feature the final three award winners over our next three edition weeks editions including the October Monthly winner, Farming Family and Hall of Fame winners.

Ahead of these awards, The Southern Star spoke to Gerry Wycherley, owner of the Celtic Ross Hotel, our awards partners, about their thinking and involvement regarding the conception of these annual awards eleven years ago and their ongoing passion for supporting West Cork farming and agriculture.

FARMING is part of West Cork’s DNA and we have to continue to celebrate and promote it. 

That’s according to businessman and proprietor of The Celtic Ross Hotel, Rosscarbery Gerry Wycherley who was speaking ahead of this year’s West Cork Farming Awards, which The Celtic Ross  launched in 2015 in association with The Southern Star. 

Gerry grew up on a mixed farm and remembers driving cattle from his home place, near the Catholic church, to what was called ‘the abbey field,’ where The Celtic Ross is now located. 

“I was the youngest of five and ours was a mixed farm like all farms then. I grew up feeding calves and pigs, driving cows, thinning beet so farming is part of me, like it’s part of West Cork’s DNA.”

When The Celtic Ross Hotel was built almost 30 years ago, it was the first hotel that was built in the area for three decades, he recalls. 

“Along with farming, and of course fishing, tourism is the other core activity of the region, and the idea was to develop them both hand-in-hand, with a twin track approach, through The Celtic Ross, ” he said. 

The farming awards were set up to recognise, and shine a light on the men, women, families, communities, organisations, and businesses that contribute to West Cork’s vibrant and vital agricultural and farming  and The Celtic Ross provides the platform to that. 

He feels quite strongly that the uniqueness of West Cork needs to be recognised and protected. 

“I think of West Cork as being ‘a place apart.’ So the awards are about recognising this uniqueness, the huge role farming has to play in it, promoting it and celebrating it. After all, if we don’t do it, who will?”

Gerry said the West Cork he grew up in had been a place to ‘leave.’

“There was no future, no employment, no belief in ourselves. But that’s all changed. The awards are providing a vision for young people, showing there’s a future in farming, by working together.”

This is the 11th year of the awards and he says they’re as valid as ever. 

“Farming and tourism are the pillars you build on, and services come on the back of them. It all comes back to believing in ourselves, recognising what we’re doing and celebrating it,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Gerry welcomed the support of businesses that have supported the awards over the years as well as the different judges over the years who have given their time and expertise.

 “A huge thanks also to the many family farms and individuals as well as the many farming businesses who have made these awards such a significant event in the life of West Cork and The Southern Star who are always wonderful people to work with. We have no doubt that these awards, with the continued support of all involved, will go from strength to strength.”