Farmers and other members of the agricultural community who always felt left out of the Christmas party circuit now have their very own festive gathering to which they can look forward.

Sunday, December 10, is the date to mark in your diary for dinner, drinks and entertainment, and the venue is Loughrea Hotel, Co. Galway. There will be a drinks reception at 7:00pm to welcome: farmers; agri suppliers and businesses; vets; advisors; and all those connected to farming.

The event, which is open to women and men, is the first of its kind to be hosted by West Women in Farming Ireland (WWFI.) The organising committee comprises Martina Egan, Mona O’Donohue Concannon and Ciara Shields.

As the attendance sits down to a three-course meal, the focus will be on recognising those who empower and support women in the agricultural world. There will also be entertainment and a raffle. Treasurer, Martina Egan, said the party fills a void.

For those who work in isolation or in small numbers, this is the perfect Christmas party alternative, and a night not to be missed.

WWFI was set up as part of a national movement to encourage and back women in agriculture. “It is an inclusive group that has members from all backgrounds, of all ages, who are involved in farming and agriculture,” Egan said.

Since the founding committee met in April 2017, it has hosted: three public events; eight committee meetings; and gone on a committee trip to the European Parliament as guests of Mairead McGuinness. There are currently nine committee members and numbers are growing all the time, according to Egan.

For those who want to make a night of it, rooms can be booked directly from the hotel at a special rate of €40 per person sharing for a double room, and €70 for a single room.

This offer applies for the next two weeks, when the ‘ultimate agri Christmas party’ is mentioned at the time of booking.

Tickets can be booked by phoning Martina Egan on: 086-1686867.