Farmers in Doonbeg, Co Clare, have had to put silage-making and slurry-spreading plans on hold after Tuesday’s heavy rains, allowing officials planning US president Donald Trump’s visit to breathe a sigh of relief.

Gardaí had discussed potentially traffic-delaying jobs with local farmers during Trump’s visit. “They said if people had work to do, to do it last week,” IFA chair for Co Clare and Doonbeg branch Willie Hanrahan told The Dealer.

However, this was all done with “common sense” and “flexibility”, he added.

Local residents – including 20 farmers – in a “red zone” surrounding the Trump golf course and resort were issued with permits, which gardaí are now checking as they move in and out.

Luckily, the beach road is not a major through road.

Golf

“The Irish open in Lahinch will be far more intrusive,” Hanrahan remarked. “This is putting Clare on the map. We can live with the inconvenience for a few days.”

All roads to Carlow will be busy

I get the sense that the roads leading to Fenagh, Co Carlow, will be very busy from 15 to 17 September.

With the National Ploughing Championships ending its three-year residency at the Screggan site in Tullamore, it will be the turn of the Dolmen County to host Europe’s largest outdoor event. With 15 weeks to go, I hear over 90% of the exhibitor space has already been filled.

Language skills

I’ll also have to brush up on my language skills, with exhibitors and visitors coming from Turkey, India, Saudi Arabia, various EU countries and our neighbours across the water.

Coolmore seeks manager

I see Coolmore is recruiting a farm manager for its 4,000ac+ arable farm in Hampshire, UK. The 4,200ac Sutton Scotney estate was bought by the Magnier family for €52m. It contains 3,990ac of tillage and grassland, 142ac of woodland and 24 houses.

Located within 60 miles of central London, the estate was bought in early 2017, just months after the UK’s Brexit referendum.

With the UK being the biggest market for Irish thoroughbreds, The Dealer wonders if Coolmore boss John Magnier was playing the long game.

Was he doing some contingency planning for the worst-case Brexit scenario and potential movement restrictions on thoroughbreds?

Horses, after all, are more mobile than land.

John Magnier.

Meat on Junior Cert menu

We wish the best of luck to the 125,000 students taking the Leaving and Junior Cert exams. First up on Wednesday morning was English paper one. I was amused by the verdict of Sligo Junior Cert student Luke McMahon, as reported by Studyclix.

“In the final question we had to write a comedy piece and I wrote about the fact that I don’t like when vegans push their beliefs on us meat eaters!” Nothing describes 2019 better than that Luke. Funny and topical – surely worth high marks.

The Glanbia branch the Nazis bombed

Shelburne Co-op celebrated its centenary last Friday. Now part of Glanbia, the co-op was based in the south Wexford village of Campile. It faced the challenges common to all fledgling co-ops, but also survived the ravages of war.

In 1940, a war plane from Nazi Germany dropped four bombs on the co-op, killing sisters Kitty and Mary-Ellen Kent and Kathleen Hurley, all employees. It was read as a warning from Hitler for neutral Ireland not to supply food to the UK.

Dairygold to send out bonus shares

Dairygold’s AGM decided to go ahead and distribute bonus shares retained on behalf of members.

It retained the shares over concerns about how the hungry Revenue might treat them if distributed. But, two years on, no one is much wiser.

Kerry Co-op’s appeal to the Tax Appeals Commission – on its much bigger share problems – has not yet got a verdict.

Dairygold will now send out some two million €1 shares. They can be cashed in by members on retiring.

Suppliers were advised to consult their accountants if concerned about tax. Accumulated interest will be paid out next year.

Seasonal apples

I was surprised to find “seasonal apples” at my local SuperValu this week. Last time I checked, very few apples were picked in early summer in Irish orchards. Information further down the label gave it away: the fruit was from New Zealand. Seasonal indeed, but on the other side of the world.

The label also says these are “limited edition” apples. I sincerely hope so.

Creed to address INHFA AGM

Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed will be one of the speakers at this year’s Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association’s AGM in Sligo tonight, Thursday. Between the €100m Brexit beef fund, the CAP beneficiary list being published and the stark outlook for the beef sector in last week’s National Farm Survey, there will be no shortage of things to talk about.