Well the chickens have scattered and we are back to a silent house. After all the bustle of Christmas and the wedding, it takes a bit of getting used to. It’s been a while since we had all three of our children under the one roof for a few nights and it was lovely while it lasted. I know it’s the way of the world that Hazel is back in Dublin, Ian is in Saudi Arabia and Richard is in Cork, but I really envy those families whose children live and work in their home locality.

Over Christmas we visited some cousins who have three of their children working in the family business and all have set up home in the space of a couple of parishes. Now that would be bliss for me.

I suppose that’s why I’ve always deeply admired people who establish their own businesses and keep them going over the generations. In every parish of the country there are family farms that have grown from small beginnings to become substantial operations, now managed by the third or fourth generation of the same family. And that’s such a credit to them.

Then there are businesses such as Portwest which has its roots in a drapery shop established by Charles Hughes in Westport way back in 1904 (see Maria Moynihan’s story on page six). An industrious man, he went on to manufacture shirts and pyjamas and in the 1950s probably employed 600 people in the town.

Over time, his nephew joined the business and now it’s managed by that man’s three sons. Today, workwear is their speciality, with turnover growing from €10m in 2010 to €100m in 2014. They are now among the top five workwear manufacturers in Europe, with staff in 74 countries and plans for personnel in every country in Africa, the Middle East and eastern Europe within three years.

The business is managed out of Westport with research, design and marketing functions based in the town. It’s an incredible success story and belies the view that rural Ireland is not a place from which to do international business. Incidentally, fashion and gift chain Carraig Donn was established by Márie Hughes – mother of the three family members in Portwest and two other brothers look over this business.

At the other end of the scale, fair dues to Hannah O’Reilly and Elaine Lavery (no relation) and their Improper Butter brand. Both girls are only 25 and who knows how big this business will become. I do love their use of im, the Irish word for butter, as in Improper – very clever and bodes well from a marketing perspective.

Be sure, too, to read all about Cliona’s Foundation on pages 22-23. It’s the story of Brendan and Terry Ring and their daughter Cliona who died of a brain tumour in December 2006 at the age of 15. Coping with the stress of a very ill child is tough enough without having to deal with the financial stress it brings as well.

Brendan and Terry know this and their mission is to ensure that no family has to cope with this financial stress alone. Since establishing Cliona’s foundation in 2007, they have raised over €700,000 and helped 200 families. It’s a wonderful memorial to their daughter and a credit to themselves.