Last week was a busy start to 2025 for many of our members and the farming community throughout Ireland as we battled our way through the snow, frost and cold to keep not just our farms going but also our communities.

When we all heard there was a orange weather warning on the horizon none of us expected what arrived and certainly none of us expected to be snowed in with no electricity during this weather, but from braving the weather and taking a walk around my own community to check in on some of my elderly neighbours, looking around really showed just how much we rely on the farming families in rural areas.

There were machines of all sorts out clearing roads, helping move stuck cars and making journeys to the local towns to ensure everyone had enough supplies until we could get on the road again.

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Macra members throughout the country were out alongside the IFA doing what they could to help our local county councils, from clearing roads to ensuring grit was spread.

Essential workers

From talking to some of these members they didn’t even think twice about helping, they just got on the tractor and put their shoulder to the wheel to ensure all essential workers could get to work and supplies got to communities.

So, the next time you’re on the road giving out about being caught behind a tractor or being stopped to let animals cross just think back to the week starting 6 January 2025 and remember the farming community kept us all going and doing everything they could to help.

So from me as the national president of Macra, I want to say a massive thank you to all the farmers out there who helped.

Upcoming Macra events

17 Jan – South Tipp County meeting in the Coachman Clonmel at 8pm.

17 Jan – Wexford Macra Adrain Ryan Dance, IFA Centre, Enniscorthy.

18 Jan – Northwest Kings & Queens in Sligo.

18 Jan – Aghinagh Macra Dinner Dance.

20 Jan – Jiving lessons with Noel and Nadine in Bree Community Centre.