Young bucks make a beeline for Calendar girls

NOTHING like it had been seen at The Ploughing since a pair of lively cattle, of the male and female species, exchanged knowing glances across a grassy knoll at Crecora, Co Limerick, back in 1991.

People didn’t know whether those looks were motivated by love or lust but there was no such doubt at yesterday’s championships in Annaharvey, Co Offaly. For the young blades of rural Ireland who made a beeline for the Macra na Feirme stand with tenners in their fists were just motivated by sheer curiosity.

All wanted to purchase the celebrated calendar produced by Limerick Macra featuring photographs of a dozen of its loveliest ladies having shed most of their threads.

The glamorous 12 stripped off and posed in a most tasteful style for a charity calendar which will be launched at the championships today. They hope to raise a whopping €50,000 for the Samaritans.

Last year, the young farmers of Offaly stripped off and posed for a charity calendar in aid of the Irish Cancer Society and now the ladies of Limerick have followed.

Over the years, Macra na Feirme members have produced excellent calendars. But, they were male dominated and so the fine ladies of Limerick decided they would create the first ever female Macra calendar.

Limerick Macra said it is a very active organisation and as the gorgeous lassies show, it is a sexy, young and vibrant organisation. It said the calendar is set on a farm, but also demonstrates some of the wonderful aspects of Macra the girls enjoy, including tag rugby and a good old music session.

Limerick Macra thanked all who had helped out with the project, especially “our fabulous, sexy and beautiful pin-up girls for their bravery, enthusiasm and tremendous sense of fun”.

There was plenty of other excitement at the ploughing championships with muddy conditions, Wellingtons bearing designs as colourful as a circus poster and a plethora of ministers and politicians, including the Tánaiste, Brian Cowen, as well as Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny in attendance.

President Mary McAleese, who opened the event, praised Anna May McHugh, managing director of the National Ploughing Association.

“We share that faith and that pride and on this day we thank her and all who help her for allowing us once again to see and be part of Ireland at its very best,” she said.