The Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster (YFCU) marked a momentous milestone on Saturday 25th January 2025 as they hosted a semi-formal event at Corick House Hotel & Spa in Clogher, County Tyrone to celebrate their 95th Anniversary.
Whilst Storm Éowyn may have caused significant damage across the province, leaving many homes without power and water, there was still over 300 people from across Northern Ireland traded their wellington boots for semi formal attire, for an unforgettable evening of celebration. Amongst the crowd was members (past and present), sponsors and esteemed guests including Andrew Muir (Minister of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs of Northern Ireland) and Rory Best (former Irish rugby union player). Guests were greeted with a sparkling drinks reception (kindly sponsored by Corick House Hotel & Spa), a three course meal and live music by ‘The Untouchables’.
Chief Executive Officer for the YFCU, Derek Lough, thanked the four event sponsors who generously contributed to the evening to ensure it was a huge success. They were the Livestock Meat Commission, Ulster Farmers’ Union, SONI Limited, and NFU Mutual have all generously contributed to the event to ensure it runs smoothly and is a huge success.
Richard Beattie (YFCU President) opened the evening with a speech, appreciating the significance of the milestone and acknowledging how the organisation has gone from strength to strength. Richard said “Young Farmers has certainly given me many great opportunities, which range from performing at the Waterfront Hall, Ulster Hall and Millenium Forum to hosting exchanges and travelling as far as Switzerland, Estonia and Belgium”. Richard explained that YFCU is a fun organisation, and it’s the members that help to define what it is. “YFCU has always been the social centre of the rural scene and it’s easy to see why it has been successful for 95 years, retaining over 50 clubs and over 3500 members across the province”, he recalled.
Andrew Muir (Minister of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs of Northern Ireland) was the guest speaker for the evening. Minister Muir opened his speech by thanking everyone who had helped to clear the roads and replenish the damage left behind by Storm Eowyn. He touched on what his department are trying to achieve regarding the Family Farm Tax announcement by the UK Government and his plans for the future of agriculture in Northern Ireland, saying he sees a positive future for young people in farming.
Thoburn McCaughey was President of the YFCU from 2009 to 2011 and gave a short review of the history of the organisation. He explained that the organisation was founded by William Staveley Armour, a man who came to appreciate and understand the difficulties that Farmer’s face in Northern Ireland. “W.S Armour named one of the most promising features of the YFCU movement as a practical starting point to benefit young people living in rural communities across Northern Ireland”, he explained.
A raffle was done towards the end of the evening with all proceeds going to the YFCU. The prizes were a P&O ferry crossing (kindly donated by Travel Solutions), 20 bags of calf feed (kindly donated by Chestnutt Animal Feeds), an overnight stay at Corick House Hotel & Spa (kindly donated by Corick House Hotel & Spa) and an Ulster Rugby playing jersey (signed by Rory Best).
William Sufferin (Senior Landowner Engagement Lead at SONI) commented, “We were delighted to attend and support the 95th anniversary of the Young Farmer’s Clubs of Ulster. It was great to network with representatives from different county clubs and learn more about the work of the organisation and some of the challenges the sector faces through the first-hand experiences of the next generation of farmers. SONI is proud to be a platinum partner of YFCU as we recognise how instrumental the farming community is to Northern Ireland’s energy transition, and we welcome the opportunity to play our part by helping to invest in the future of farming through supporting YFCU.”
Lauren Hamilton (Sales Development Manager at NFU Mutual) said “It was a wonderfully well-organised event and the anecdotes, memories and camaraderie was evident throughout all generations attending. It speaks volumes as to how this rural youth organisation has transcended the decades and still lives out the vision that W.S Armour had 95 years ago. It is a credit to YFCU to continue this legacy and to all members past and present who are such ambassadors for the organisation. I want to wish everyone at YFCU every success for the future and look to continue the affiliation between NFU Mutual, NFU Mutual Charitable Trust and YFCU”.
Deputy President of the YFCU, Kristina Fleming, presented Bob Esler with a gavel, marking his dedication to the organisation for 27 years of being the respected Honorary Treasurer. Kristina thanked Bob for his leadership and guidance, wishing him all the best for his retirement from YFCU. “It was great to see so many past and present members celebrating our organisation. I look forward to what the next 95 years hold and celebrating our 100th Anniversary in 2030”, Kristina said.
