When the children were little and I was at home and farming full-time, nice clothes, makeup and a good haircut were the least of my worries. I lived in tracksuit bottoms and runners and what my young daughter used to call granny shoes – very comfortable laced-up Ecco shoes. I had a couple of pairs of trousers and a few well-washed tops, a suit and a dress or two from my days working in IBM. As for make-up, the only thing I bothered with was a little bit of lipstick. Mind you, I always used a good moisturiser.

I remember when I was elected on to the IFA Sheep Committee I had to borrow an outfit from my sister and she was good enough to let me keep it too. Then I started working with Irish Country Living and I needed more up-to-date clothes – getting them organised was an education. That’s why Sonya Lennon’s Dress for Success Dublin charity really struck a chord with me. It helps women get into the workforce by providing mentoring and a range of free services, including suitable clothes for that all-important interview. It also helps with hair and makeup and puts together a suitable workwear wardrobe.

So far, Dress for Success Dublin has helped over 900 women, with 57% of them landing the job they went for. Now, if ever there was a practical charity, this has to be it. This year, Sonya has teamed up with Eircom and makeup brand Bobbie Brown to target International Women’s Day (25 March) as a day when women can donate and collect clothes suitable for use by the charity. If this doesn’t suit you, then another way of supporting the initiative is by buying the special-edition Pretty Powerful Pot Rouge by Bobbie Brown – every bit of the recommended retail price of €26 (excluding VAT) is going directly to the charity.

As of now, Dress for Success is mostly a Dublin-based initiative, but it’s certainly an initiative that is worth having countrywide. For more on this, check out www.dressforsuccessdublin.org.

On Friday night I got to put on a nice gúna and Sean and I headed to Nenagh for the north Tipperary IFA 60th celebrations. Over 400 people packed the Scout Hall – newly renovated with the help of LEADER funding – for an event that celebrated all that is local.

The North Tipperary Farm Family committee, under the guidance of Sally Slattery and Mary Lanigan Ryan, marshalled the night wonderfully and were a huge support in the run-up to the event.

The transition year girls from St Mary’s Secondary School played a blinder when it came to serving the food – all of which was locally produced. All the entertainment was local too.

It was a night to remember and honour people who, with no gain to themselves, set out to help their fellow farmers. Sixty years on, that work is as important as ever, but the challenge now is for a new generation to take up the standard because there really is strength in unity.

Finally, if you have any interest in community development, have a read of my interview with Doirin Graham, who manages the LEADER programme and much more in Co Clare. I’d be really interested in hearing your views on the issues around alignment. CL