So Storm Emma struck and a week later the country is still cleaning up the mess she left behind, especially along the east coast.

While at home in west Limerick we were looking at about 18 inches of snow with drifts of about four foot, it was an entirely different story for my brother who lives near Avoca.

When he opened the kitchen door on Friday morning he faced a wall of snow. The drifts were almost up to the second floor.

After Ophelia and now Emma doing precisely what the Met Service said they would, it won’t be long before Evelyn Cusack assumes the aura of an oracle.

Sure the storm didn’t hit some parts of the country as hard as others, but the status red warning was warranted.

Even if it was only to keep the idiotic ‘snow tourists’ safely confined to their sitting rooms.

While most people had the luxury of being nice and warm around the fire, this wasn’t an option for farmers, those in essential services and the health sector. Despite the hardship, the freezing cold, the lack of electricity and transport, so many people stepped up to the mark.

People looked out for each other and none more so than farmers, who kept the milk flowing and helped no end to clear the roads and get much-needed supplies to stranded neighbours.

Much lip service paid to food security, as we always expect the supermarket shelves to be full.

But look at what happens after a few days of bad weather. Not a bit of bread or a drop of milk to be got.

I’m surprised the likes of Odlums didn’t take advantage of the situation, with adverts about how easy it is to make bread.

However, when I look back at March 2018 it will be another Emma that I will remember.

On Saturday word came through that Emma Hannigan had died. The well-loved author had lost her 11-year battle with breast cancer.

Over the last few years I had met Emma several times when we were both guests on Midday on TV3. She was always so bright and bubbly, and had a great attitude to life.

She cherished every day and fought an unbelievable 10 diagnosis of cancer with positivity and determination.

She so badly wanted to be there for her two children as they grew up.

Her latest book, Letters to my Daughters, has reached number one in the Irish book charts.

Meanwhile Dubray, one of the country’s biggest booksellers has promised to donate its profits from this book to Breast Cancer Ireland.

If you want something to celebrate Mother’s Day with, then go out and buy this book, not only to celebrate a wonderful mother, but also to support a great cause. May she rest in peace.

Finally, I hope you are all busy writing a few hundred words about your nominee for the Women & Agriculture Awards, supported by FBD Insurance.

These awards recognise the huge breadth of enterprise and expertise that women bring to farming. You know and admire them and now is the time to reward them. Full entry details are in read more below, so get cracking and get those entries into us.

Last but not least, the not-to-be-missed Land Price Report is included in this week’s paper – well worth a read.

Read more

Women & Agriculture Awards 2018

As the weather turns, be a good neighbour and watch out for each other