I was born and reared on a farm outside Castleblayney in the same parish as country and western star Big Tom, just a half-mile from the border with Northern Ireland. After I left school at 15, I went to St Pat’s College in Monaghan for a year to do the Green Cert.

In 1980, I began serving my time in the building trade and ran my own building company for 24 years, right up to 2011.

Farming is in the blood though. We were reared on a 40-acre farm and I also ran a suckler and beef production herd. Then in 2001 I set up my Drumakill Limousin herd. The following year, I started to show Limousin cattle at local shows around Monaghan and Cavan and undoubtedly, that was where I got my first insight into the amount of voluntary work it takes to run an agricultural show.

Castleblayney is our local show and I’d been one of the sponsors since 1998. I was invited onto the show committee in 2004 and two years later, I became chair for five years. That year [2011], I got involved with the Irish Shows Association (ISA) at regional level, all by chance, when the secretary of Castleblayney Show and myself were filling up some ISA forms.

Vacancy

At that time, there was a place available on the board, left vacant by the death of George Durnin the former ISA president and a great cattle man. I let my name be put forward and the rest, as they say, is history. I was elected to the midlands region to serve with Carl Gilsenan and Angela Jordan.

Carl was the national president (1994-1995) back in the days when the roads were not so good! For me personally, I’d travelled to meetings with Carl for the best part of 10 years and found him to be a gentleman who would give you good advice when needed.

It was a great honour to be elected the ISA vice-president in 2012. Normally it’s a two-year term before then taking on another two-year term in the role of president. In 2013 I had to step in at the deep end as acting president, following the resignation of the national president at that time. I officially took up the baton of president in November 2013 for another two years and must say I enjoyed my terms, visiting shows up and down the country.

Treasurer

Another position I’ve held within the ISA is national treasurer from, 2015 to 2018. Michael Hughes had told the board the previous year that he would step down as national secretary the following November. I came home from that meeting, talked it over with my family, and then decided to let my name go forward for the job.

In a democratic way I was elected as National Secretary in November 2018. I quickly realised that I had quite the job of filling the shoes of the former titleholder.

All I could think of at the time was that Alex Ferguson was the manager of Manchester United for over 20 years and a lot of people have failed in the job since he left. I did not let that affect me though and I must say I have taken to the job like a duck to water.

My family have been a great help and support, especially when there’s a meeting or show to attend, as the work on the farm is always taken care of.

Beth, my wife, and I have four children: Matthew is in his last year at college in Dundalk doing agriculture, Rachel is in her first year, also in Dundalk, doing accountancy while Leah and Philip are still in secondary school.

Matthew is very keen on sheep and has just recently started his own pedigree Texel flock, Tullyraghan Texels.

Support

I think what has helped me in the job too, along with the vital back-up at home, is having experienced agricultural shows from all sides; as an exhibitor, sponsor, at local committee level and various national roles. I had the privilege of attending over 30 shows last year and I’d like to thank the shows for their hospitality and warm welcome.

Shows in general went well last year with good attendances at most of them.

The weather played a toll on some as usual. The only thing I can say to the shows that got the rain is to keep your head up, keep going and look forward to next year.

Shows rely on sponsors and I’d like to express sincere thanks to all of them. Horse Sport Ireland continues to support several of our All Ireland finals as part of their national showing championship series. The media, including the Irish Farmers Journal, provide valuable coverage on a weekly basis throughout the show season and it is much appreciated. We talk a lot at meetings about advertising costs but I think it is money well spent.

I’ve said before that my goal is to raise the ISA’s profile and get more young people involved in their local show committees. Try to get at least two new young people each year and give them some responsibility. Give them a section to look after and encourage them as much as possible.

If they make a mistake – what about it, because the man that never made a mistake never did too much.

Jim Harrison was in conversation with Susan Finnerty.