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Teagasc adviser Mr Bill Condon informs us of a series of five workshops entitled ‘Exploring all your Options on the Farm,’ which will take place in Teagasc Training Centre Thurles, starting on 4th October.
 The aim of the series is to encourage farm family to take a closer look at their farm situation and become aware of its wider potential to increase income. The series will be opened by Peter Young of the Farmer’s Journal and presenter of the Higher Ground TV series. Peter also has an abundance of ideas from his involvement in the small business innovation awards.
The workshops will include presentation on getting ideas, Energy Crops – their potential, developing a Food Business and Rural Tourism. The presentation will also include Selling Food products from your farm – the challenges of direct selling, Poultry production, Forestry and funding for your idea.
There will also be information on how the Local Development Company (LEADER) can help with grant aid.
Farmers have ‘innate’ skills which very often they do not recognise or credit themselves with, such as management skills, financial and business skills, dealing with government regulations and agencies. These all add up to a good basis for a successful enterprise. At the Options workshops, each night a farm who has succeeded in Small Business Development will present to the group on:- (A) How they have achieved success by developing another enterprise on their farm using these skills to their maximum potential. (B) Not to replace farming but to enhance the total income from the farm.
For attendance at the workshops, which are free, register with your local Teagasc office as spaces to these events are limited.
 A beautiful Rose represents the Premier County. She was born in Clonoulty, Thurles, Co Tipperary and began her early education at Ballagh N.S, Clonoulty. She received her secondary education at the Ursuline Convent Secondary School, Thurles, Co Tipperary, achieving maximum honours in her Leaving Certificate examination results.
During this period, in 2002, she also received a Bronze An Gaisce Presidents award and successfully completed eighth grade piano tuition with the Royal Irish Music Academy.
She has represented her county in Camogie at all under ages levels and Junior level, and in 2010, went on to Captain the Junior A County Tipperary Camogie Team, latter champions that same year.
She also holds various Munster School Hockey medals, an Honorary School Sports Award for her contribution to sport and has represented Munster Hockey at U16 level. She also represent the Tipperary Intermediate Camogie Team for 2011.
In 2005, she began her third level education at the National University of Ireland, Galway, attaining a BSc. (HON) in Occupational Therapy. Since then she has practised and studied at St. John’s Hospital, Co Sligo, at University Hospital, Co. Galway, Tullamore Hospital, Co. Offaly and at Community Paediatrics, Letterkenny, Co.Donegal.
She is widely travelled and admits to enjoying the cultures of other countries. She is also an accomplished horse woman and extremely knowledgeable in most aspects of horsemanship.
Her other endless achievements include, winner of the solo singing competition at the County Tipperary and Munster Scór Sinsear in 2010. She has been selected to represent Tipperary in the Macra na Feirme Queen of the Land festival. She has been an organising member of the successful Clonoulty / Rossmore International Miss Macra committee for many years. She currently holds a full driving licence and enjoys cinema and reading.
OK your time is up. So who am I talking about? One last clue – She was instantly selected this year, to represent Tipperary in the 2011 International Rose of Tralee festival.
Yes you have guessed correctly, the lady with that rare combination of beauty and brains of whom I speak, is the very lovely Noirin Ryan. (Yes Noirin, Thurles Information knows more about you than you think.)
Norin has been out and about this week promoting the International Rose of Tralee Festival, (Lead Sponsor is Newbridge Silverware.) beginning with a massive ‘Tipperary Rose Send Off,’ party at Kennedy’s Bar, Gooldscross, Clonoulty last Friday, where she insisted we must all travel to Kerry.
The 2011 Rose of Tralee International Festival will take place from Friday 19th to Tuesday 23rd August, with many of Noirin’s supporters will be travelling down for the event. Dáithí Ó Sé will once again host the Rose selection nights on RTÉ 1 TV, and all Tipperary eyes will be watching with great pride and fingers crossed.
If you are reading this, note Tipperary are fully behind you Noirin and from the people of Thurles and Co.Tipperary, go our every good wish for your success and enjoyment of this years event.
(Warning: Noirin between you and me, watch that Ó Sé fellow. During an interview with the RTÉ Guide, our Dáithí described his ideal woman as “someone that’s very easy going, who’s good fun, makes me laugh, is kind and loyal.” I think you fit his criteria, but don’t tell him I warned you.)
Watch our lovely Noirin’s progress on Rose TV by Clicking Here
Photo: Courtesy George Willoughby .
 Miss Sarah Louise Healy, Cork. The gorgeous Miss Sarah Louise Healy, representing Cork / Muskerry Macra, was crowned International Miss Macra 2011 at Dundrum House, Co Tipperary last night. Sarah, now brings to six the number of times Cork has won this event in 40 years, making them the county to have won this festival the most times.
Runners up in this years competition were Miss Martina Murphy representing Sligo, and Miss Sharon O’Grady representing Wexford.
A specially commissioned, Sterling Silver Tiara, embellished with cubic zirconia, was presented by Michael’s Jewellers, Thurles, to celebrate this Festival’s 40th Ruby anniversary.
Sarah Louise Healy was presented with the Perpetual Silver Macra Trophy, together with a specially commissioned Perpetual Tiara, a cash prize of €1000 and a Tipperary Crystal trophy sponsored by Dundrum House Hotel.
First Runner up received a specially commissioned piece of Tipperary Crystal and a cash prize of €500, while the second Runner up received a specially commissioned piece of Tipperary Crystal and a cash prize of €300, sponsored by Tipperary Co-Op.
Due to the very high standard of the girl’s competing this year the festival judges, Joan Pollard-Carew, Declan Ryan and Catherine Gowing, described their task as being the most difficult they had yet undertaken.
 Miss Martina Murphy, Miss Sarah Louise Healy, Miss Sharon O'Grady As we forecast, the 2011 International Miss Macra Festival was a sellout, with many supporters, who had failed to book their tickets in advance, unable to gain access to the special Macra Marquee, purposely erected as part of this truly enjoyable three day event.
Highlight of the weekend for the contestants was a visit to Coolmore Stud in Fethard, Co.Tipperary. Highlighting this visit, Clonoulty / Rossmore Chairperson Miss Mary Lyng paid a special tribute to the staff and management, for their extreme professionalism and kindness, paid to the contestants during their guided tour of of the Coolmore complex.
All eyes will be glued to Nationwide on Wednesday evening next, when highlights of the weekends events are to be televised on RTÉ One at the usual time of 7.00.
Following the Macra Banquet, over 300 guests danced the night away to popular Tipperary Band “Silver Dollar” who provided their own very special brand of popular music.
Stills Photographer for the weekend’s event was George Willoughby, Thurles.
 Nenagh Agri-Show A large turnout is expected to turn out for the 2011 North Tipperary Agricultural Show taking place in Nenagh this August Bank Holiday Monday. (August 1st 2011)
Nenagh Co Tipperary grew and continues to flourished as an agricultural market town, and its Irish name means “The Fair of Ormond,” a reference to the old East Munster Ormond Agricultural Fairs, of which it was historically the site.
In its 134th year this popular annual show, promises be one of the biggest yet, with side shows which include paint-balling target competitions and a bucking bronco, aside from the many normally expected core animal attractions held at the Borrisokane Road, Showgrounds.
This annual event in North Tipperary, is renowned for being the counties showcase to a large variety of sheep, cattle, and poultry classes.
Comb the hair and wear your best frock, as UTV camera’s will also be present this year making a documentary on the art of cattle judging, focusing on local expert livestock judge David Wilson.
The show will also include craft work, expect to find exotic floral displays, quality baking and cooking demonstrations, needlework, art, photography and of course the much prized fruit and vegetable produce on display.
Overall family entertainment will be at a premium, with a pet farm on site inhabited by hares, rabbits, snakes, owls, hedgehogs, and even a vulture or two thrown in for good measure.
Other displays at this event will include trade stands selling and displaying their local crafts, a farmer’s market, and an equine store. Keep an eye out also for dog shows, Cossack horse riding, boxing displays, martial arts, horse and pony classes and show-jumping.
To be honest you do not have to come from a farming background be enjoy this event, but good cheap family fun for all, is truly guaranteed.
Young people have been enjoying membership of Macra in Clonoulty/Rossmore Co Tipperary since 1950, however back then it was called Clonoulty and District Young Farmers Club. It was not until 1972 that Tom Horan suggested the idea of a Miss Macra festival. With the assistance of the late Sean Fitzgibbon, Manager of the Premier Hall in Thurles, so began the Miss Macra Festival, now one of the longest surviving and successful festivals in Ireland and certainly the longest running in Co. Tipperary.
Today a specially commissioned, Sterling Silver Tiara, embellished with cubic zirconia, was unveiled by Michael’s Jewellers,Thurles, in conjunction with their Silversmith Chris Osburne, to celebrate the Festival’s 40th anniversary.
“The Tiara is modelled as a crown with Celtic spirals and a heart. In Celtic times the spirals were believed to symbolise balance, initiation, awareness, connection journeying, development and knowledge. The heart is a well known symbol of love and commitment. These two very strong symbols married together in this sterling silver Tiara will be the perfect crown for the winner of the prestigious title of International Miss Macra for many years to come.” explains Joan Pollard Carew, one of the sponsors of this event.
Shown also in the above video clip is a Celtic Cross, one of the best known Irish or Celtic symbols, also sponsored by Michael’s Jewellers, Thurles.
The sterling silver Celtic crosses which will be presenting as tokens to each of the International Miss Macra contestants this year, have been handcrafted in Ireland and hallmarked in Dublin Castle. These crosses have Celtic knots also known as friendship knots. The knot has no visible beginning or end and this is to reminds us of the timeless nature of our spirit and the importance of friendship.
The International Miss Macra Festival begins Thursday 28th July and runs until Sunday July 31st, 2011 inclusive.
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