Michael Hughes – the man from Mountbellew

This is the final countdown to the Irish Shows Association AGM. I do feel emotional about finishing up and thinking back on presentations made to me by shows throughout this year, there was no need to do so but I greatly appreciate it.

The association is in good hands with the present board and under the stewardship of president David Sheehan. David is one of life’s gentlemen and I wish him and his wife Mary all the best. I’ll really miss the pressure on me when I get out of bed in the morning. There was no day when I didn’t have a deadline or somewhere to go. I’ll miss that for a while but I’ll learn to occupy myself. I look forward to spending more time with my grandchildren and I’m good at timber work, so I’ll be kept busy in the garage.

The bog is my relaxation. I have always loved spring, from mid-January onwards, when the days are stretching. The one thing I’d always look forward to is hearing the cuckoo, and the only place I’d hear the cuckoo is on the bog. That sound means that spring has arrived and shows are around the corner.

Varied life

I grew up in Mountbellew, one of 14 in the family and I’ve been involved with shows from a very young age, going to the local show with sixpence for an ice-cream. My first job as a lorry driver was a help for the years with the ISA because I encompassed many parts and roads of Ireland. The roads back then were mediocre, the volume of traffic wasn’t there either. I’d often be on the road from five o’clock in the morning and you mightn’t meet anyone on the road for the first quarter of the journey.

Most of my cargo was potatoes going south or to Dublin and corn or fertiliser on the return journey. In 1973 I began work in the local Bank of Ireland and spent 32 years there. I was also a part-time fireman from 1974.

Over 20 years I did three stints as Mountbellew Show secretary. I was on the ISA board since 1987 and became regional chairman in 1992.

I was national chairman in 1996 and 1997 and really enjoyed those two years. I love meeting people from the four corners of Ireland. From Ballymoney to Bantry, Bannow and Rathangan to Inishowen I have made wonderful friends.

Although over all those years, I’ve lost some great friends that have gone to their eternal reward.

The ISA board members are the salt of the earth, a big family. I honestly believe that the ISA board members do not get the credit they deserve, they make huge sacrifices, giving up so much time and often at their own expense.

I was national treasurer, before and after I became national chairman, up to my appointment when I took up the post as ISA secretary from Mary Houlihan in 2006. Yes, I suppose I’m known for answering the phone at all hours but I had no problem facilitating that. The benefit of being a show secretary was I knew a lot of people were working nine to five and were catching up in the evening. Or even early morning!

Maureen, my wife, was absolutely brilliant, she could answer many questions and she and the family were great back-up. I wish Jim Harrison, the man that’s taking over as national secretary, the best of luck. If he enjoys the job half as much as I did, then he really will.

Improvements

There was definitely a buzz about shows this year. It was a combination of the good weather which brought people out and the funding provided to the Irish shows through the Department of Rural and Community Development, after we approached Minister Michael Ring. We really were delighted when we got up to €7,000 per show this year, it was a huge cash injection, particularly for the smaller shows

There were a lot of improvement made at shows. Safety benefited big time with new barriers invested in. That first round of funding, coupled with the grant provided by Minister Michael Creed, through the Department of Agriculture towards the cost of insurance for agricultural shows, had a huge impact this summer.

Going forward, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, shows need to diversify into getting more people through the gates. Committees will need new and imaginative ideas to attract families into the shows. Families are important because then you’re bringing the show people of tomorrow on stream at an early age.

I probably averaged 30,000 miles every year since I became national secretary. I’ve always been a big Country and Western music fan and have lots of tapes in the car to listen to as you go along. I never minded the travelling, never minded any part of the job. I enjoyed every hour of it.

Michael Hughes was in conversation with Susan Finnerty.