Topless farmers give 1D a run for their money

Ireland’s farmers are officially cream of the crop —but just in Cork.

Fri, 12 Dec, 2014 - 00:00

Nick Bramhill

The charity calendar surged past One Direction to clinch top spot in Cork’s Christmas calendar charts. However, the 1D boys’ 2015 wallchart is top of the nationwide calendar charts for the fourth year in a row.

The farming-themed charity calendar — which features hunky country lads in tongue-in-cheek, topless poses — has topped the charts in Cork’s regional table for the first time and is in fourth place nationwide.

The Calendar Club, which compiled the list after studying sales across its 25 stores in Ireland, said the chart is a good barometer of who is likely to be successful next year.

That means Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer can look forward to a successful 2015, having shot up to number two in the charts.

By contrast, pop idol Justin Bieber — who topped the charts in 2010 — has slipped out of the top 20 for the first time since then.

Among the newcomers this year are Disney’s mega-successful Frozen and rising singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, in seventh and 13th position, respectively.

Veteran singer Daniel O’Donnell is still a hit with Irish calendar buyers, having charted in 16th spot.

As ever, Premier League clubs are well represented in the list, with Liverpool in third place and a separate wallchart in 11th, Manchester United are fifth, Chelsea ninth, and Arsenal in 12th.

Glenn McWhinney, spokesman for the Calendar Club, said: “It’s no surprise to see One Direction topping Ireland’s calendar charts again this year. They seem unstoppable. But well done to the Irish farmers, who are number one in Cork.”

The Irish Farmer Calendar has been raising funds for third-world charity Bóthar for the past six years. Its creator, Ciara Ryan, said interest in the calendar has grown year on year, with orders in the past month from the US, Australia, Germany, Poland, France, South Africa, Canada, and Hong Kong.

Top 20 Christmas calenders:

1. One Direction

2. 5 Seconds of Summer

3. Liverpool

4. Irish farmers

5. Manchester United

6. Minecraft

7. Frozen

8. Memo calendar image

9. Chelsea

10. Despicable Me

11. Liverpool FC easel