While the current restrictions relating to the COVID-19 lockdown may have prevented the usual annual gathering to celebrate growers who produce excellent malting barley, it did not prevent them from being recognised.

The 2020 Boortmalt regional malting barley excellence awards were announced online on 20 November 2020.

Six growers were recognised for the quality of the barley they produced and delivered in 2020, despite the challenging growing season. This regional winner at each of the six major growing regions are as follows:

  • Athy – Leonard Hovenden from Ballylynan in Co Laois.
  • Laois – Pat Lowry from Timahoe.
  • Carlow – Ian McDonald from Killeshin.
  • Ballycarney – Martin and Jamie Whelan from Ballingale.
  • New Ross – Francis and Philip Kehoe from Lacken.
  • Cooladine – Pierce and Sean Cousins from Kilmore.
  • The individual growers talked about the necessity of having soil fertility right, the importance of soil pH, getting seed and plant population right, the importance of trace elements where necessary, having the patience to wait for suitable sowing conditions and getting the timing as right as possible for all inputs. And after all of that, there is always a bit of luck involved.