Episode Two: Anna May McHugh
Anna May McHugh, is director of Ireland’s leading rural event, the National Ploughing Championships. Under her leadership, the show which started as a modest event involving 4 counties, now boasts an annual turnover of €4 million, 1200 industry stands and more than 300,000 enthusiastic visitors, nowadays attracting many cityfolk.
Anna May was born and reared on a farm, married a farmer and has lived all her life on a working farm. She is deeply committed to farming life. As a woman leading such a major event, she was something of an unwitting feminist, often the only woman working in a male dominated world of the time. She attributes her success to ‘surrounding herself with great people’ and ‘never asking anyone to do anything she wouldn’t do herself’
A mother of two, and a grandmother, she shares with us her memories of a childhood steeped in traditional catholic practises which have stayed with her throughout her life and have brought her consolation especially since the death of her beloved husband John.
Anna may shares her deep faith and love of rural Ireland in a truly charming conversation with veteran broadcaster, Gay Byrne