The winner of the 2018 Stylish Silage competition is the Nugent family and its creative wishing well design.

The Nugents came out on top after a team of judges whittled the initial 70 entries down to 12 before a public vote on Saturday night in Drumshanbo, Co Leitrim. The Stylish Silage competition is part of the An Tóstal Festival, which has been running in the Leitrim town since 1953.

The judges remarked that the wishing well demonstrated incredible skill, ingenuity and attention to detail.

Second place went to the McKeon family and their mart delivery structure, which was located at Drumshanbo Mart. The McKeons used straw, silage and hay bales to depict a livestock haulage outfit complete with farm animals.

Third place went to the impressive teddy bear which was created by the McDonagh family.

After last year’s huge success, farm machinery giant McHale came on board as sponsors. First place took home €300 cash and a €200 McHale voucher for their online shop. Second place won €150 in cash and a €150 McHale online voucher, while third place won €100 and €100 to spend in the McHale online shop.

Despite the fodder crisis earlier this year, decorative bales had been popping up around the Leitrim town over the past couple of weeks. This is the second year of the Stylish Silage event, which saw competitors decorate silage bales as creatively as possible.

Chair of the An Tóstal committee Hugh James Gallagher thanked all those who entered, as well as those who helped make the competition a success again.

“Last year was a huge event – it really took us by surprise just how big it became. The standard of entries was very high too and people put an awful lot of time and effort into their bales. The bales even attracted a lot of people into the area, with businesses reporting an upturn in activities.

“This year has surpassed everything last year.”