National Leadership Awards see young leaders honoured by ABP/Macra na Feirme

The 2018 ABP/Macra National Leadership Awards in Dublin celebrated the exceptional young agricultural leaders of the future. The event featured a keynote address by Newstalk's Bobby Kerr, who emphasized the essence of leadership as being proactive, adaptable, and straightforward, highlighting that complexity does not equate to effective leadership. James Healy, the National President of Macra na Feirme, extended his congratulations to the winners of this year's National Leadership Award, noting the significance of the awards' history and continuity, as demonstrated by the presence of the first-ever award given by Macra in 1983, which was awarded to the father of the current National Chair, Eamon Cassells. Healy also expressed gratitude towards ABP Food Group for their ongoing support and contribution to the success of the event and its impact on the finalists. The National Leadership Awards aim to spotlight and enhance the leadership abilities of Macra members both in their local clubs and the broader community, encouraging higher standards of leadership and fostering the development of club activities. This year's competition saw six finalists evaluated by a distinguished panel including Colm Dore from ABP Food Group, Deirdre O’Shea from Agri Aware, and Matt Dempsey from The Irish Farmers Journal, who selected three winners. These winners were honored with unique commemorative trophies for their achievements. The 2018 winners included: - Sean Wallace from Donoughmore Macra in Muskerry, Cork - Sarah Condren from Johnstown/Coolgreany Macra in Wicklow - Jennifer Hall from Ashford Macra, also in Wicklow