I was visiting a friend recently and she was in a fluster getting the children organised for going back to school. Her youngest is still in primary school while my youngest is in college, so we are on different planets when it comes to schooling. Her eldest will sit the Leaving Cert next June and already the pressure is ratcheting up.

Isn’t it amazing when you have no children in exam classes how you nearly forget the Leaving Cert even exists? As for CAO points, what are they about!

Having come out the other end of the education pipeline, I can now confidently say it is the most reliable way to separate parents from whatever hard-earned cash they might possess. I say this with no malice to teachers or anyone else who might take offence. The truth of the matter is that most parents love their children dearly and would do anything in their power to make life run smoothly for them. If this means grinds, Irish college, stays in France, Spain or Germany to cope with the orals, music lessons, weeklong cramming sessions or even a repeat Leaving, then if they possibly can afford it, they will take the purse out and pay up.

I remember when Hazel, our only girl, decided she wanted to study physiotherapy and needed to take on an extra science subject during out-of-school hours. To do that, she persuaded me to allow her drop accountancy – one of her strongest subjects.

When the school principal heard, he called me in and asked if I was off my head. In no uncertain terms, he told me Hazel was a whizz at accountancy and under no circumstances should she give it up. Did I listen? Not a chance. I spent two years sitting in the car on Saturday mornings while she went to her physics grinds. She just missed the points for physiotherapy and, yes, you guessed it – she went on to study business and is now a qualified accountant.

So, if you have a child heading towards an exam year, calm down, they will eventually find their place.

Three women who are thrilled with themselves this week are Danielle O’Sullivan from Limerick, Debbie Black from Fermanagh and Hilda Whooley from Cork. They won our competition prizes for dinner for two and a stay over with breakfast in Neven Maguire’s fabulous MacNean House. The three submitted super recipes for a main course and dessert for six people for a cost of less than €20. We will be featuring their recipes in future issues of Irish Country Living.

Congratulations, too, to the nine farm families who emerged as winners of the FBD National Farmyard Awards. The overall winners are Eddie and Zara Lynch from Loughduff in Co Cavan. I’m pretty sure they are the first livestock farmers to win the award outright. They, along with the Fennells from Kilrush, Co Clare, who won the safety award, and Barouche Stud, which won the equestrian award, are featured in this week’s issue on pages 18 and 19.

Thanks to all of you who got in contact after reading Mary’s story last week. I have passed on all the advice and support. Keep it coming. Finally, the tickets for the ninth Women & Agriculture Conference are now on sale. See details on page 10.