South Offaly Ploughing branch mark success of their chairman

LAST September on home soil, South Offaly Ploughman Jonathan Murray took away gold from the National Ploughing Championships, held in Screggan.

Jonathan beat off stiff opposition to claim first place in the Junior Conventional class, which was a proud moment for the South Offaly Ploughing Branch chairman and Offaly Branch Treasurer.

The Thatch in Crinkle was packed to overflowing recently where his branch held an event in honour of Jonathan’s great success. One of his former students, Laura Grant spoke of Jonathan’s great achievement, his driving force behind the success of the branch, how he never missed a meeting, and of his and his family's commitment to the age long tradition of ploughing.

“He came third in the same class last year,” said Laura, “and he returned with huge determination this year and it paid off,” she said.
She spoke about how she herself wouldn’t be the holder of a gold medal if it wasn’t for Jonathan’s mentoring, how he steered Jack O’Meara to All Ireland glory last year and how he made a huge contribution to Millie Standish’s success in this year’s championship’s when she ploughed for the first time in the Intermediate Novice class and did very well too.
Laura praised Jonathan for his endless encouragement to young competitors over the years as she wished him further success in the years ahead.

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County chairman Brian Mahon praised Jonathan too and added that he was a great treasurer “who minds the books” of the club as well as thanking him for his support through the years. “He will be competing in Intermediate next year,” he said as he wished him well, as did the
President of the NPA Mick Mahon, who said everyone in Offaly ploughing was very proud of Jonathan’s success.
Jonathan Murray thanked everyone, his parents, his brothers, one in particular who “might get a late call to do a spot of welding” for him, the branch people who organised the event as he said he knew “that those things just don’t happen by themselves”, and everyone who turned out for the occasion.

He wished founding member Willie Dermody and his wife Mary a happy 60^th wedding anniversary which they celebrated the previous week. He commented on how Mary made sandwiches and tea for the crowds over the years “feeding us all”, he said..
He concluded by thanking Brian Mahon and Offaly Ploughing for keeping the tradition alive in the county. “Winning doesn’t come easy, like anything, you have to practice,” he said “and we are lucky that we can do plenty of that.”

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