THE sun broke through for a glorious day as the 2025 West Cork Farming Award recipients flocked to the Celtic Ross Hotel for the annual awards lunch, joined by their family, friends, and many other supporters from across the business and political community of the West Cork region.

Like a midday wedding, full of sleeveless gilets and with fewer speeches, those who were gathered enjoyed a fine meal and accepted their awards in person from the capable and entertaining Master of Ceremonies, Judie Russell.

The starters were on the table for 1.30pm, to get proceedings off to a snappy start and make sure everyone was home for milking time. This still gave ample time to hear a few words from each of the recipients, beginning with April’s winner Michael Cahalane of Bó Bainne Úr, who said that the highlight of building such a successful business was felt in the people he has met, making the hard work worth it, and staving off the isolation that can be part-and-parcel of farming life.

He wasn’t the only entrepreneur among those singled out in 2025, as guests also heard from Johnny Lynch of Macroom Buffalo. With a hugely successful venture now under his belt and his son poised to learn the trade, Johnny credited his employees with keeping the show on the road, some of whom were already gone by the end of the meal, back to Macroom and the business of milking.

June’s winner John Joe Kelleher was deservingly recognised for not only for his hard work on the land, but his huge commitment to his community, a recurring theme as August’s star Mary Bugler was and continues to be integral to her homeland of Innishannon. Both John Joe and Mary started out early, both well devoted to a lifetime on the land before they turned 20. Throughout their lives, they’ve volunteered and  kept groups like the IFA and the GAA up-and-running.

Where the likes of they lead, others follow and so it was with July’s winner, Carbery Macra. The organisation were singled out this year for continuing to be a place where young rural people can socialise, gather, organise socially and politically. It was prescient timing for the Celtic Ross Hotel, who have had farming to the fore in the last two weeks having hosted the Macra National Rally in Rosscarbery over this last October Bank Holiday weekend.

Of course farming is nothing animals, and so it was with Gretta Cleary who was October’s winner. Ms Cleary is a proud breeder of Salers-Cross-Charolais animals, and was singled out at the RDS Livestock Awards for her work on the pedgiree earlier in the year. Some pronunciation difficulties on-stage only served to prove what a rare achievement the prize is, something the Salter family from Castletownshend are also familiar with, the 2025 ‘Farming Family of the Year’ winners. The Salters are well-known on the show circuit for their skills, and all three children, Ross, Zoe, and Gemma, have already tasted success.

May’s recipient, the world champion Ploughman Jer Coakley paid homage to the Irish men and women who are at the pinnacle of the craft of ploughing. Saying how other countries were watching Ireland on YouTube to study how we here at home and particularly in West Cork keep the crowds coming, his success could be linked to that of the Hall of Fame winner for 2025, Denis Keohane. Mr Keohane has been heavily involved in the skills of ploughing competitively since he was 15, and was a director for 20 years with the National Ploughing Association.

The annual awards are intended to celebrate the huge variety of success in an industry that can so often go overlooked, and each year celebrate some of the most enthusiastic and hardworking representative of the West Cork farming community.

Congratulations to all the winners and their families, wives, husbands, and children, who spend many hours in the rain and in the dark opening and closing gates, picking stones, fixing fences, and standing in gaps.

THE SOUTHERN STAR AND CELTIC ROSS HOTEL WEST CORK FARMING AWARDS WINNERS

April: Michael Cahalane, Bó Bainne Úr

May: Jer Coakley

June: John Joe Kelleher

July: Carbery Macra

August: Mary Bugler

September: Johnny Lynch, Macroom Buffalo

October: Gretta Cleary

Farming Family: The Salter Family

Hall of Fame: Denis Keohane

The Hall of Fame winner was Denis Keohane of Ballinascarthy, with the award presented by Andy Donoghue of Hodnett Forde Property Services.

The awards celebrates West Cork people in agriculture. The awards lunch took place in front of hundreds of people. The awards lined up at the event. Picture: Andy Gibson.

The June winner was John Joe Kelleher of Terelton, with the award presented by Shane McCarthy of monthly award sponsor AIB.

The August winner was Mary Bugler, Innishannon with the award presented by Kevin Kenneally of monthly award sponsor GP Wood.

The September winner was Johnny Lynch of Macroom Buffalo Mozzerella, with the award presented by Máire McCarthy of monthly award sponsor Bank of Ireland.

The October winner was Gretta Cleary of Schull, with the award presented by Donal McCarthy of monthly award sponsor Owen O'Driscoll & Associates.

The Farming Family winner was the Salters from Castlehaven, with the award presented by James Daly and Anna Fitzgerald of monthly award sponsor Cultivate.

Event MC Judie Russell rocking a Southern Star beanie hat.

Farming Family winner the Salters of Castlehaven are interviewed by event MC Judie Russell.

July winner John O'Driscoll of Carbery Macra is interviewed by event MC Judie Russell.

October winner Gretta Cleary of Schull with Sylvie Murphy.

The Denis Keohane, Hall of Fame table at the awards.

At the awards were James Daly, Access Credit Union and Anna Fitzgerald; Cathriona Tobin and Finbarr O'Shea, all Bantry Credit Union.

At the awards were Marzena Wator and June Wood from IFAC.

June award winner John Joe Kelleher is pictured with his wife Helena and daughter Elaine.

Hall of Fame award winner Denis Keohane surrounded by his immediate family.

At the awards were Daniel Lehane, Lehane & Associates; Karen O'Connell, Teagasc Clonakilty College; Andrew & Ann Keane, Cotter & Keane and Alison Shorten, Ceres Consulting.