“I always loved farming and my father kept pedigrees for years. I have my nucleus herd outside now and I hope to have calves on the ground next year,” she explains.

“It is a great social outlet, with pedigree clubs and field days. With purebreds you only keep a small number and they stay on the farm longer, so they all have names, and it is nice to go out and spend time with them.”

Sandra chose the Hereford breed as they are known for being docile and easy to work with. She has a nine-year-old son, Eoin, whom she drafts in to help her out with the cattle.

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“I wanted him to grow up around animals, get used to cattle, learn about how things grow and where food comes from. He is starting to take an interest alright.”

Sandra works full-time for An Post, but her ambition is to become a knitwear designer. She held her own on the RTÉ programme Craft Master, making it to the final last Tuesday.

“In the knitwear part of the show we each had to design and create a piece, spending a week in Donegal with knitwear designer Edel McBride, and I won that.

“I have always loved craft and baking, it is like an old Victorian house here, there is a bit of everything going on,” Sandra said.

Sandra has been a member of Granard ICA guild for three years.

“I have an acre of a garden where I grow my own vegetables. Longford ICA has an open vegetable garden competition and I have received first prize the last three years.” CL