Monaghan Farmer is Teagasc Student of the Year

27 March 2007

Brian McGinnity, representing Teagasc Agricultural College, Ballyhaise, is the 2007 Teagasc Student of the Year. The awards, sponsored by FBD Trust Ltd, were presented by Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mary Coughlan TD in Dublin today, Tuesday, 27 March 2007.

Brian farms 100 acres with 50 suckler cows and followers at Kilmore, Scotstown, County Monaghan. He also has a substantial hatchery enterprise producing 7,000 broilers annually and aiming to increase this to 10,000 per annum. Brian is a keen sportsman, playing gaelic football with Scotstown GAA club and is a former inter-county player with Monaghan.

Speaking at the presentation of the awards, Teagasc chairman, Dr Tom O’Dwyer said: “Education and training programmes in Teagasc are continuously being evaluated to ensure they meet the needs of the next generation of farmers. Teagasc advisory and college teachers have responded to changes in demand and are providing courses at night and at weekends to facilitate the growing numbers of part-time farmers. Colleges continue to provide most of the training for young farmers but there is an ever increasing integration of training programmes with the advisory service. Courses are now being delivered in a more flexible way to facilitate students.”

Denis Reidy from Ballyduff, Knocknagoshel, Tralee, Co. Kerry was presented with the first runner-up award by Minister Coughlan, while Gary Whittle, Bunnagappa, Walsh Island, Geashill, County Offaly received the second runner-up award. Denis, represented Kildalton College, where he completed the Advanced Certificate in Farm Management achieving distinction. Previous to this he completed the Level 5 and 6 Vocational Certificate in Farming at the Salesian Agricultural College, Pallaskenry. Denis was brought up on a dairy farm and is currently an assistant dairy farm manager in County Cork.

Gary Whittle, attended Gurteen Agricultural College and is a native of Walsh Island where he farms a large drystock/tillage enterprise with his father and brother. The farm enterprises consist of bull production, suckler cows, sheep and tillage. Gary has also developed a significant contracting enterprise. Presently, he is expanding the sheep enterprise through leasing a further 100 acres.

Director of Education and Development with Teagasc, Donal Carey said: “Overall, interest in agricultural education is increasing despite the decline in the number of full-time farmers.  Demand for part-time courses was never greater with over 1,000 part-time farmers completing the 100 hours and 80 hours courses last year.”

He pointed out that four of the ten finalists in this year’s Student of the Year competition are part-time farmers and represent a group who are committed to training, despite running a farm, having off-farm employment and the demands of rearing young families. 

The awards are in their 22nd year and have been sponsored since inception by FBD Trust Ltd.

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