Irish Country Living welcomes a new editor - Amii McKeever

I have happily found my way back to the Irish Farm Centre, the home of the Irish Farmers Journal and a number of other farm organisations, here in Dublin. Having previously spent 10 years working in the IFA, who are also based here, it was a little bit like moving back into a new bedroom in your parents’ house after a year travelling. And, although I’m very glad I went on the trip, it does feel good to be home.

Mairead gave me a wonderful welcome last week and, needless to say, it would be remiss of me not to pay tribute to her. I have known Mairead for over a decade and several years ago she played a key role in shaping the person I am now. She inadvertently achieved this by doing something that we should all do for each other: Mairead was an advocate for me! She encouraged me and sponsored me to go for a job that, in hindsight, I should have done, but unfortunately I let the “can’t dos” reign over Mairead’s “can do”.

I am reminded that being an advocate for other women, for our communities and for our industry is one of my key values.

I learned from this and now my poor children are often subject to a familiar retort of “Mammy doesn’t believe in can’t” whenever I hear the inevitable response to my requests for help around the house. There is much talk about women’s roles throughout our communities, from #MeToo campaigns to the much-needed changes to our outdated constitution. However, as I step into her rather large wellies, I am reminded that being an advocate for other women, for our communities and for our industry is one of my key values.

I am in the fortunate position to inherit a fantastic team and a fantastic publication bubbling with real-life stories from our rural communities, so many of which remind me of the one I am from in Kilkenny. I generally need to call out at the start of most conversations that although I live and have lived in this beautiful part of the world since I was a child, I am a lifelong Tipperary supporter, which I have to thank my parents for. My dad got the eldest two in support of the Premier, but when my mother inherited her father’s farm, Kilkenny gained two Tipp supporters and three Kilkenny ones were born. Suffice to say, we have had many an interesting September in our house.

I love the Iverk show and for me it has always been the start of the new year... This year it once again reflects a new start for me and it is a start I am really excited about.

Last Saturday, granny, mammy and my two girls attended what is now our local show – the Iverk, as the local patterns have fallen away over the years. I love the Iverk show and for me it has always been the start of the new year as it was held on a Thursday when we were young and we would have to beg to get the day off school – it was often the Iverk or the Ploughing! This year it once again reflects a new start for me and it is a start I am really excited about. I am really looking forward to meeting with you, our readership, over the coming months and I would welcome all your feedback and suggestions for Irish Country Living.