The 2019 Tullamore Credit Union Queen of the Land was announced as Sinead Conry of Roscommon Macra na Feirme on Sunday night, November 10.

Revealed at the closing banquet of the 55th annual three-day event, the Roscommon queen, from Elphin Macra branch, was crowned following the announcement at midnight.

According to the festival organisers, Sinead came out on top of the 29 queens representing counties and regions, by impressing the judges with her personality, her passion for her farming work and connecting with her local community.

A 22-year-old student in Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) from Castlerea, Sinead is an active member of the newly developed club, Elphin Macra na Feirme, and is currently club secretary. The new Queen of the Land is also the current secretary of the Connacht branch of the Hereford Society.

Upon winning the title, Sinead was presented with: the Queen of the Land Linda O’Brien tiara; the Tullamore Credit Union perpetual trophy; the Tullamore Credit Union sponsored €1,000 prize; a specially commissioned piece of Galway Crystal from Cahill Jewellers; a two-night break in the Bridge House Hotel; and a €200 clothing voucher from Kode Clothing.

Both runners up received a €200 cash prize and a specially commissioned piece of Galway Crystal.

The first runner up is Clodagh Ryan from Thurles Macra, North Tipperary. Clodagh works as an Animal Evaluation Analyst with the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) and enjoys breeding and showing Charolais cattle.

Second runner up is Laura Cable from Carbery Macra in Cork, a dairy farm manager who has been involved in Macra na Feirme since moving to Clonakilty.

The Escort of the Year is Paddy Jordan from Tullow Macra na Feirme. The Escort of the Year was chosen by the queens. Paddy received a Tony O’Donoghue sponsored perpetual trophy, a weekend stay for two in the Bridge House Hotel and a €300 clothing voucher from Guy Clothing.

Chairperson of the Queen of the Land Festival Committee Niamh McDonald had this to say after the announcement:

We, the committee, are delighted to see Sinead crowned the 2019 Tullamore Credit Union Queen of the Land. We are sure she will do a great job of representing our festival all over the country for the next year.

Paying tribute to all 29 contestants who took part, the chairperson added: “Of course, we are also sad to see our 2018 reigning queen, Louise Crowley, leave her role as well as she has done a superb job throughout her reign.”