An apprentice has won the WorldSkills Ireland 2025 craft butchery competition.

Emily Callaghan of Callaghan's Butchers in Co. Meath will now go on to represent Ireland on the world stage at the international WorldSkills competition in Shanghai in 2026.

This achievement places her among a very small number of women nationally to qualify and excel in the National Craft Butchery Apprenticeship.

Emily said she is "absolutely delighted to have won the WorldSkills Ireland craft butchery competition".

"It’s an incredible honour to represent my family, my community and Ireland, and I can’t wait for the challenge ahead in Shanghai," she added.

Emily, daughter of Laura and Andrew and the latest in the Callaghan family’s butchery legacy, joined the family business three years ago.

Callaghan’s Butchers is a fifth-generation, farm-to-fork craft butcher, sourcing beef and lamb from family-run and local farms since 1906.

The Callaghan store is based in Bettystown.

Emily is also now a contender for Apprentice of the Year 2025, a national award covering all apprenticeship disciplines across Ireland.

“This recognition is not just a personal achievement; it’s a step forward towards greater diversity in our craft," Emily said.

"I hope it inspires more women to pursue a profession in butchery."

At WorldSkills Ireland held at the RDS in Dublin, Emily had to compete under pressure, executing precise cuts, product manufacturing, and creating a professional retail display.

She now sets her sights on the gold medal in next year’s WorldSkills competition in Shanghai.

She is due to complete her apprenticeship in November, at which point she will become a fully qualified craft butcher, working alongside her family.

Emily hopes her story "signals to all young people, especially women, that craft trades are open, vibrant, and full of possibility".