Galway man Jacques Chahin (28) is taking some time out from his work as a farrier to act as an escort at the Rose of Tralee festival.
His maternal grandparents, Anthony and Mary Kelly, met and married in San Francisco in 1960.
“They raised my mother and her siblings in the inner city. I was born to American-raised parents in California’s east bay area in 1995,” he said.
Jacques moved to Ireland with his family when he was 10 years of age after they lost their California home to a house fire.
“My grandfather, as a young teenager, farmed for a landlord three miles outside Loughrea, Co. Galway. After he travelled the world over and made his money in the US, he bought the same farm at public auction over 40 years later,” Jacques said.
“He kept sucklers, sheep and the odd horse. During the summers when I’d visit Ireland from the time I was knee high, he began teaching me and my brother, Declan, everything he knew about farming. I was enamoured by him and country living,” he recalled.
“You can take the man out of the farm but you can’t take the farm out of the man,” laughed Jacques, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science from the University of Galway.
Farrier
He worked in the medical device industry in Colorado but the corporate world didn’t appeal to him much.
“I wanted to merge my interests and education so I took up an apprenticeship in farriery,” he said.
“Farriery is all about optimising the biomechanics of horses. Good farriers correct and treat lameness. For me it is a meaningful and satisfying trade.
“My favourite moments as a farrier are when we remediate foals born with crooked legs and give them a chance at life. The old adage is ‘No hoof, no horse,’ so often a foal born with crooked legs or bad feet will be put down.
“With good farriery, these lives can be saved,” said Jacques.
“But at heart, I will always be a cattle man. I am particularly obsessed with the Scottish Highland breed and my dream is to start a Highland ‘fold. We just bought a purebred Highland bull. His tag number is 001 so we named him Juan.”
When not working with animals, Jacques enjoys sea swimming.
“While I was living in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, I was introduced to hiking, rock climbing and skiing. But perhaps what I find most enjoyable and relaxing is planting flowers, hedges and trees in my garden,” he said.
Jacques grew up watching the Rose of Tralee with his family.
“Of course my mother, aunties and grandmother would look at the escorts and tell me that one day, I would make a good one. Back then the thought of being on television mortified me so I never dreamed of it,” he said.
“I’ve never done anything like it before and never considered this opportunity until I went through a romantic break-up earlier this year.”
Jacques will be escorting the Mayo Rose, Kate Heneghan, for the duration of the festival. “She is a delightful, poised, beautiful, young lady that is very accomplished in traditional and classical music,” he said.
“Needless to say I am the envy of many men. I would love for her to be crowned The Rose of Tralee. She is a terrific ambassador for Irish females,” he said.
It has all been an unreal experience, according to the Galway farrier.
“This festival offers us a unique opportunity to meet highly educated, talented, ambitious, people that share wholesome values,” he said.
“You make friends and memories for life. You have nothing to lose and all to gain. I would 100% recommend the experience to other men.”