The Mayor of Limerick City and County Council, Cllr Gerald Mitchell accorded a Mayoral Reception to an award winning county Limerick farmer in the Council Chamber last Thursday afternoon.
The Mayor presented a scroll to mark the occasion to Knockainey’s John Macnamara in recognition of four major farming awards over the last nine years. Mr Macnamara was named FBD Young Farmer of the Year 2005, Farmyard of the Year 2009, Grassland Farmer of the Year 2018, and the winner of the 2023 National Dairy Council and Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards.  It was also in acknowledgement of his tremendous contribution and voluntary work for his local community of Knockainey, Macra na Feirme, Schools and Ladies Football at both club and county level.
Among the guests were local elected repres-entatives Pat Daly, CEO of Limerick City and County Council, John Kiely. Limerick senior hurling manager with the Liam MacCarthy Cup, Elaine Houlihan National President of Macra Na Féirme, Majella McCaf-ferty, Farm Advocacy Manager with the National Dairy Council and David Gleeson from Teagasc Moorepark, a judge from the National Dairy Council Kerrygold Milk Quality Award. Other guests included the Knockainey under 19 football team – county A champions for 2023 and the Limerick Under 16 Ladies football team with their manager Charlie McCarthy from the County Kerry.
John was joined on a memorable evening by his wife Olivia, their four children, Caoimhe, Conor, Ailbhe and Padraic with John’s mother Mary and Olivia’s mother Mary O’Leary, also present are John’s siblings Peter, Patrick, Angela and Mary Teresa with their families while John’s brother Francis and his wife Christy and their children Liam and Harper joined the proceedings online from San Francisco
During his address Mayor Mitchell said, “You have accumulated a lot of Golds in your farming practices, a remarkable achievement by any standards and I acknowledge and celebrate with you here this evening the highest standards of excellence in dairy farming.
“Your late Dad, Paddy Mac, had a great influence on you as he had a great work ethos winning the national title for Farm tidiness and cleanliness of his own in 1969. John and his family have therefore matched John Kiely’s five national titles. There is strength of power in unison and I have no doubt he is looking down on you with pride. Your grass-fed family farming system is ideally suited to the Irish climate and delivers world class produce that is enjoyed at home and revered by consumers all over the world.
“You are passionate about passing your knowledge to the next generation, as you bring a lot of students and a lot of classes’ right from playschool up as far as the Ag. Colleges onto the farm. You are involved in the education side of things as well which displays your unselfish character. I understand that even this week you visited Knockainey, Lough Gur, Knocklong, Bulgaden, Martinstown and Bruff primary schools and shared his farming and football passions with the next generation.”
Concluding, the Mayor said, “John is one man who doesn’t let the grass grow under his feet, to phrase a pun. I know and appreciate the whole family have a serious pride and passion for what they do and get involved in. I wish you and your family every success and good wishes in all your future endeavours. We are very proud of you. You are a great Ambassador for Limerick City and County.”
During his address, five times All-Ireland senior winning manager John Kiely exhorted the young players to whom he later presented county medals, to keep at their sport and try to be the best they can. Appropriately Mr Kiely stressed the nutritional value of milk and disclosed that his all-conquering senior hurling panel use milk at training each night.
Elaine Houlihan President Macra na Féirme and public representatives addressed the gather as did John Macnamara.
Mayor Mitchell presented John Macnamara with a scroll, while John Kiely presented the Knockainey under 19 team with their 2023 county medals.
The Limerick under 16A team provided the evening’s entertainment.