Ealier this month, our Group 1 representative for the UK and Ireland, Fiona O Leary, attended the 2024 Five Nations Conference in Bangor C. Down in Northern Ireland. In her own words, here is a round-up of this incredibly informative and inspiring event.
On Wednesday the 17th of October 2024, I hopped in my car after work and drove the 6 hours to the Scout Centre in Bangour Co. Down. I arrived to a group in full swing of getting to know each other. After grabbing a drink, I introduced myself and explained my purpose as the Group 1 representative in Rural Youth Europe, I started chatting with people, happy to see a few familiar faces and lots of new faces in the group. We played a few name games as well as the cereal box games over stories of last year’s conference and local organisation fun.
The Thursday began with an informal activities in which we discussed our home organisations. We discussed a number of challenges faced by rural leaders – organising and delegating tasks to others and fund aising. We then headed out to undertake archery and crate stacking. These tasks helping to develop team work, communication and motivation within the group.
After a delicious lunch of lasagna we worked on a project to make and sell soda farls. We split into baking, marketing, product design and finance individuals while all being led by a project manager. While our Soda farl company Sodalicious (patent pending) did not win, our farl a touch too salty and the marketing solely to markets at the higher price point did not grab our esteemed judges favour, we lost to a family run company who went slightly less heavy on the salt, seemed not to pay their employees, but who had a great spokesman in the form of Rhys Richards of Wales. And a wonderful team mentality.
After dinner we had our activity fair. I brought the Irish flag, a bottle of Jameson, Baileys Tayotos from the South and some hard boiled sweets, as well as a few words in Gaeilge as well as some words on the 80 wonderful years of Macra Na Feirme. I then briefly introduced Rural Youth Europe, taking the attendees though our objectives, functions and upcoming events. We had an in depth discussion on the Energy Transition project. I explained some of its background and some follow up actions which had already occurred. James Nixey – NFYFC who attended the conference in Manchester was also able to speak to the heart of what they had discussed there. I took the participants through a brief questionnaire to ensure their thoughts could also be captured as a contribution to the project.
We also experienced some Welsh dancing, a Northern Irish poem which involved some taste testing, decoding some Scottish slang and we all did the Hockey Cokey with NFYFC. After all that we headed outside for jiving and line Dancing. Deryn from Wales and Jess from England won the line dancing – Rhys was an able dance partner for me as I spun and jived across the floor!
Friday morning we rose early for a group breakfast and prepared to head away to 3 different enterprises for farm tours. The first was a beautiful sprawling estate of Clandeboye. It was an excellent example of a circular business and a diversification which allowed the estate to cover its costs. It also had an anaerobic digester which produced power for much of the estate. The yoghurt was produced locally in Northern Ireland from a pedigree heard and you can taste this richness in every bite. Next we visited the farm of Roy and AJ Lyttle ,here they grow leeks, shallots (spring onions) beetroot and cabbage. A family run company they grow and pack the vegetables on farm. While challenges exist in relation to regulation and disease control, they were passionate and dedicated people embracing technology, machinery and the importance of work/life balance. Our tour finished with the most delicious leek and potato soup I have ever tasted and some crusty bread while discussing labeling our food and ensuring young people understand what they read on food labels.
Last but by no means least we headed to the Echlinville Distillery. They provided us with a delicious lunch and then took us through a tour explaining the fermentation process. We tasted both a whiskey and a gin mixed with ginger ale and having been in the barrel storage area, I can guarantee you that this distillery has lots of tasty treats once the devil and the angels take their share through evaporation and absorption.
All these businesses are key leaders in rural areas. They are not only creating employment in rural areas both on and off farm, but stimulating the economy as a whole. They are also displaying key entrepreneurial spirit and mindset which is key to seeing thriving rural communities into the future.
After dinner saw the arrival of the YFA, the Young Farmers Alumni, members who travelled during their time in young farmers. Their enthusiasm to help those of us currently involved and the invitation to attend their events were extended, as well as the cultural expense of an Irish coffee made with fine Bushmills Irish Whiskey. Friday night, saw the introduction of a karaoke machine and some of my mad dancing! With card games and limbo and leftovers from the international tables another great nights entertainment was provided to attendees.
Saturday morning, Kevin from Agri Aware discussed the leadership styles with us – autocratic, democratic, transitional and laissez-faire. We talked about the style we tend to fall into and why this might be. Next we considered the things that motivate leaders and then put ourselves in the middle – a key message was that we must make sure we are ok in ourselves first in order to lead others. We then had a problem which we had to discuss and solve through collective agreement ,a real challenge when you have a room full of leaders with strong clear and considered opinions of differing perspectives. A final effective push from Mhairi Dalgliesh of Scottish Young Farmers finally had us achieve our goal. We then asked some questions about specific issues we were facing in terms of our own leadership.
After lunch the bus arrived to transport us to beautiful Belfast city. We visited some local cultural sites while also popping into Octoberfest which happened to be going on in Belfast. We were joined by the Northern Ireland Young Farmers President Richie Beattie who took time out of his extremely busy schedule to spend some time with us. We were treated to a delicious dinner, where I got to sit next to YFC Ulster’s CEO and I shared Macra and RYE knowledge while discussing their achievements and direction. Once we had paid a visit to a few more establishments we were returned to our accommodation at the Scout Centre. This final night saw more singing, dancing and games as well as many deep and meaningful chats with new friends. Some of the participants promising attendance at future RYE events, I am sure we will meet again soon.
The final morning saw a feedback session, a pack and tidy up session and then I hit the road for a 7-hour drive home to Cork. The 5 Nations Conference is full of fun, friendship and connections, it is an important resource for all of the members of the 5 Nations and the RYE Group 1 rep as an opportunity to learn, network and benefit from each other’s knowledge.
