Carrigaline Macra Na Feirme

Carrigaline Macra Na Feirme are holding their annual dinner dance locally in the Carrigaline Court hotel. It will be held on Friday 15th April. Chilled fruit punch reception @ 8.30pm. Dinner will be served at 9pm sharp. Tickets are on sale at €30 each and past member Donal Crowley will be D.J. on the night. Guest speaker is local man and newly elected T.D. Minister for Agriculture and Marine Simon Coveney. We are hoping to continue on from our tremendous 50th dinner last year where over 390 members attended a highly successful dance. For more information or to purchase tickets please contact P.R.O John on 0866066253 or club secretary Niall on 0877529027.

Avondhu Notes

Freemount Macra had outstanding sucess at the recent National Talent Competition Semi Final held last weekend in Bru Boru in Cashel. In the face of stiff copmetition all four Freemount Acts, which competed in the Ballad Group, Modern Dance, Set Dancing and Novelty Act got through to the National Finals. This was an oustanding achievement in light of the fact that out of the 18 participants, 11 of these were first time entrants in the competition. This year the National Final will be held in the National Concert Hall on the 1st of May. All supporters are asked to turn out and cheer the group on. Contact Louise on 087-6729648 to book accomodation. We wish Freemount all the very best in the National Finals! The group is well on their way to exceeding the record set by them last year where they won three of the eight national titles in the final. The Freemount members' competing in the National Final are:
Modern Dancing- Ella O Dwyer, Tim O Callaghan, Mary Anne Murphy, Miriam Angland, Olivia Roche, Daniel Roche, Aileen Punch and Claire Mulcahy.

Set Dancing- Mary Anne Murphy, Eileen Murphy, Miriam Angland, Aileen Punch, Michael Buckley, Louise Bourke, Daniel Roche and Olivia Roche.

Ballad Group- Christine O Riordan, Ella O Dwyer, Louise Bourke and Miriam Angland.

Novelty Act- Nicholas O Donoghue, Brendan Buckley, Tim O Callaghan, Danny Lane, Niall Ahern, Tom Murphy, Louise Bourke and Margaret Collins.


Mitchelstown Macra hosts Races for the Guide Dogs
Mitchelstown Macra held a very succesful fundraiser for the Irish Guide Dogs last weekend in Auntie Mae's Mitchelstown. A big thank you to all involved particularly those who bought tickets. All the proceeds will go to an extremely worthy cause.

Macra Na Feirme elects new president

Macra na Feirme has a new president and guess where he is from???? CORK

Alan Jagoe, a 28 year old dairy, beef and tillage farmer from Carrigaline Co. Cork, who has been a member of Carrigaline Macra club for nine years, and is currently Macra na Feirme President of Seandun has been declared the 33rd Macra na Feirme National President.

Speaking after the results of the election, Mr. Gowing said, “Congratulations to all the candidates, in particular those who have been elected. It was a great election and I’m delighted that the leadership of Macra will continue to be of the highest standard.” Alan’s presidential term will run from his inauguration at the Macra na Feirme national AGM held on May 7th in Cavan, kindly sponsored by Lakeland Dairies, and run until May 2013.

Current National President Michael Gowing congratulated Alan on his appointment and wished him well during his term of office. Results were also announced in the vice-presidential elections for Macra’s three regions, Munster, Leinster and the North West.

Kieran O’Dowd from South Sligo Macra club was declared the winner in the North-West race while William Holohan from Mullinavat Macra club in Kilkenny has been elected as Leinster vice-president.

They join Tommy Moyles from Ballinascarthy Macra club who was elected unopposed for the Munster position.

The three new vice-presidents will take up their positions alongside president-elect, Alan, at Macra's AGM.