Nollaig na mBan, known traditionally as Women’s Christmas or Little Christmas, is often associated with a day of rest for women after a busy holiday period.

However, with women making up just over 10% of farmers, we look back and celebrate some of the women cracking the glass ceiling in agriculture.

Imelda Walsh – IFA north Tipperary chair

North Tipperary IFA chair Imelda Walsh led the charge for a number of women to be elected to chair positions within the IFA in 2018.

Imelda runs a dairy farm in Tipperary with her husband and has been to the forefront of a number of key farming issues in the country, holding meetings on a range of topics from bovine TB to rural crime.

Elizabeth Ormiston was elected as IFA chair in Cavan and Anne Mitchell was elected as chair in Galway.

In total, five women now hold IFA chair positions.

Luna Orofiamma – FBD Young Sheep Farmer of the Year

Luna’s father hails from Italy but he married an Irish woman and the family is based in Co Cavan, where Luna runs a small herd of 30 ewes. She won the FBD Young Sheep Farmer of the Year and has plans to grow her flock.

“I have a 10-year plan. After 10 years I am hoping to be milking ewes and use that milk to potentially make artisan cheese. I hope to have 140 sheep after five years and to be over 300 in year 10,” she told the Irish Farmers Journal.

Luna has a BSc in agriculture from Dundalk IT and is currently studying for a BA in retail management.

Anna May McHugh – National Ploughing Championships

No list would be complete without the Queen of the Ploughing, Anna May McHugh. She has spearheaded what has become one of the largest outdoor agricultural events in Europe.

The formidable tag team of Anna May and Anna Marie McHugh – her daughter – run the three-day event on an annual basis, with crowds of up to 100,000 expected on any given day.

The National Ploughing Championships has evolved under her stewardship from a small agricultural event to one which contains multiple elements, from machinery to cattle and even funfair rides.

It has become the go-to event for many farmers and their families every year.

Mona O’Donoghue-Concannon – Corrib Oil Lady Farmer of the Year

Galway-based Mona runs a suckler and dairy farm with her husband and brother, and was awarded the title of Corrib Oil Lady Farmer of the Year in 2018.

“We have a grazing block of 75 acres. However, most of the land spends some part of the year in flood, as we are part of the river floodplain,” Mona told the Irish Farmers Journal.

She is a very active member of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Association and has taken part in a number of protests this year in a campaign for better beef prices.

Sarah Condren – Macra na Feirme National Leadership award

Sarah Condren comes from a dairy farm in north Wexford and was one of the Macra members to win a 2018 ABP national leadership award. She is 28, and works in the agricultural, environmental and structures division of the Department of Agriculture.

She graduated from UCD with a degree in animal science in 2011, and last year completed a masters degree in ruminant nutrition.

Sarah joined Macra in 2010 and since then has held roles as treasurer and chair of the Johnstown/Coolgreany club, and has been elected on to the county executive for the last six years – as YFDG chair, YFDG secretary and her current position of county secretary.

Some of her achievements include winning national titles and runners-up titles in drama and senior dairy stockjudging, receiving a gold leadership award, helping her club to win club of the year, and also winning best fancy dress costume at the Muskerry Rally.

Cora Halloran-Cross

Cora is one of the many young farmers featured in the Irish Farmers Journal My Farming Week series.

Cora has completed her Green Cert in Pallaskenry Agricultural College and fattens Angus cattle on a farm in Limerick with her father.

She has plans to expand the enterprise in the future and increase cattle numbers.

Gillian O'Sullivan - dairy farmer

Gillian farms 110 cows on a 41ha milking platform with her husband, Neil.

“We operate a low-cost grass system and we’ve been milking once a day for the 10th season now,” Gillian said.

Gillian and Neil O'Sullivan and their children Fionn (six), Hannah (four) and Tim (two) hosted RTÉ's Big Week on the Farm.

“My husband, Neil, and I both worked as vets in Dublin and didn’t know much about farming, but we decided to move home.

“My father is a very progressive farmer. He transferred all his knowledge to us over two years and then handed over the farm. We stayed with OAD because we needed time to learn about grass management, etc, and we found that the cows adapted to it and their production improved.”