JFC founder John F Concannon launched a different type of product at this year’s National Ploughing Championships. The Tuam man has put pen to paper for his new book, ‘The Bucket Man’, written in tandem with ghost writer Robert Tighe.

In documenting, among other things, his early days of dealing with the Christian Brothers, buying calves in the south and selling to farmers in Ireland's west, the book details Concannon’s early life, pre-JFC, before he went on to display the early innovation that was the three-teat feeder, made famous through his interview on The Late Late Show with Gay Byrne in 1987.

Concannon discusses the highs and low of his 40 years in business, from selling his first 12 buckets to a store in Clonberne to the innovative JFC Evolution calf feeder. JFC today employs over 650 people, with 200 of those based out of the Weir Road factory in his native Tuam.

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In the book, he offers words of wisdom to those looking to start their own business. He himself completed night courses and classes in his adulthood after dropping out of school early, having faced challenges in school due to his undiagnosed dyslexia.

He credits much of his success to his staff; many of the first people to work with him are still part of the company today, while Concannon’s four children work throughout the different enterprises that make up the JFC Group.

He also heaps praise on his wife, Patricia, who kept the family going as he sold teat feeders across the island and UK out of a VW Golf. He also alludes, earlier in the book, to his admiration for his wife's bicycle ahead of taking note of the girl seated on it.

Concannon’s charitable work is also noted. He has supported both local and national charities and was instrumental in establishing Pieta House in Tuam. More recently, he supported the Daisy Lodge Children’s Hospice in Cong.

The book is available to purchase from the JFC stand at this year’s Ploughing, as well as online.