When Waterford Federation’s Phyllis McGovern won the National Brown Bread Baking Competition at the National Ploughing Championships last week, the congratulatory phonecalls flooded in and from further afield than Ireland.

It is up there with bacon and cabbage and floury potatoes as a cherished symbol of traditional Irish cuisine.

A mum of two from Roscommon has said she will join ICA after winning the National Brown Bread Baking Competition at last week’s Ploughing Championships.

Watergrasshill ICA president Kathleen Barry had two broken fingers when she won the Cork Federation heat of the national brown bread baking competition in June.

Hundreds have entered the national brow- bread baking competition run by Aldi and the ICA.