IT looked like a typical day after a wedding scene in the lobby of the Canal Court Hotel last Sunday, as guests checked out at the reception desk and the top layers of an unusual cake and flowers were carried out to the car. Only this occasion was to celebrate a most amicable end to Michael Hughes’s long union with the Irish Shows Association (ISA), as the Mountbellew man bade an official farewell at its annual general meeting.
1970 was the year Hughes began several terms as secretary of his local show and since then, he’s been a versatile ISA servant at regional and national level. Every role from regional to national chairman (1996-1997), national treasurer and secretary have all been carried out by this affable gentleman.
The tributes and presentations have poured in since Hughes made his announcement at the 2017 AGM in Shannon that he planned to retire at the end of the following show season. “I’m happy to be the other side of it too as the emotion could have overtaken me. And now 12 years [as national secretary]. All over,” he said last Sunday morning “and I can say without fear of contradiction that it was a brilliant do and very well organised by the northern region.”
Hughes and his black Ford Focus clocked up an average of 30,000 miles each year during his years as the ISA national secretary. Travelling the roads of Ireland wasn’t a new experience for the former lorry driver, who knew every landmark on the national routes before the arrival of the motorways.
“I’d often be on the road from five o’clock in the morning and you mightn’t meet anyone on the road for the first quarter of the journey. Most of my cargo was potatoes going south or to Dublin and then loads of corn or fertiliser on the return journey,” he recalled.
He also spent 32 years working in his local Bank of Ireland and as a part-time fireman with the local fire brigade. As he said last November in Shannon, he has spent 59 years working full-time and on top of that, made the role of national secretary a near-365 days of the year job too.
“Yes, I suppose I’m known for answering the phone at all hours but I had no problem facilitating that. The benefit of being a show secretary was I knew a lot of people were working nine to five and were catching up in the evening. Or even early morning!
“Maureen was absolutely brilliant, she could answer many questions and she and the family were great back-up.”
His wife, Maureen, originally from Cartymore, near Athenry, was another vital part in running the ISA office from their Mountbellew home, largely built by Hughes himself.
“She was always there to answer phones and help out,” he says proudly about the other half of the secretarial team. Married for 48 years, the couple have six children: John, Angela, Michelle, Marian, Niamh and Declan. All the family have pitched in over the years, particularly Michelle, Marian and Declan who assisted in editing and proof-reading the exhibitor’s annual ‘bible’: the ISA yearbook.
Hughes’ computer skills are completely self-taught, same as he acquainted himself with equine pedigrees. “The girls in the HSI office couldn’t be better, they were always very helpful verifying whether horses are eligible for All Ireland finals.”
That task, plus the increasing raft of paperwork and regulations that goes into the agricultural show scene, from insurance regulations, health and safety issues to the Code of Ethics for Childrens Sport, must have been hugely time-consuming but he has continuously said he enjoyed every minute of his national secretary’s role.
CHANGE OF PLAN
“I must say I do enjoy it. I have always enjoyed my time with Irish shows but I particularly enjoyed those two years when I was the national chairman.
“When my term as chairman was over, I intended to stay on the national board for another year or thereabouts,” Michael once said, revealing how he had intended to take a step back. However, his plans changed when former national secretary, Mary Houlihan, retired and Michael was asked to take on the role.
“The first year in the job [national secretary] I was a bit apprehensive until I got a handle on it, but I’ve enjoyed every hour involved in shows and made many great friends, too many to mention. I wish Jim Harrison, the man that’s taking over as national secretary, the best of luck. If he enjoys the job half as much as I did, then he really will.”
For his part, Harrison knows, as he says himself, that he has a main act to follow. The former Castleblayney Show chairman joined the ISA national board in 2010 and also brings the experience of being its national chairman (2012-2014) and current treasurer to the board table.
“I believe that I have plenty of experience now to take over from the great Michael Hughes as national secretary. Michael has been a great figurehead for the Irish Shows Association for the greater part of 40 years. I do believe that Michael has left his mark on the Irish shows in the same way Big Tom McBride has done for country music,” said the proud Monaghan man.
Another reason the always jovial Hughes is content leaving his role is knowing, as he says, that “the association is in good hands with the present board and under the stewardship of president David Sheehan. David is one of life’s gentlemen and I’d wish him and his wife Mary all the best.”
Limerick solicitor David Sheehan has just completed his first year as the association’s president and, like Hughes and Harrison, is a regular sight at the country’s 130-plus agricultural shows.
On the road to recovery after a horse-riding accident in September which left him with a broken pelvis, nothing was going to deter him from his lieutenant’s farewell party.
Sheehan was fulsome in his praise of Hughes. “He was the anchor which steadied and the sail which guided the ISA ship through an enormous secretarial workload over the past 12 years. He had a most impressive work ethic and office hours meant very little to him. I am convinced the clock in his office must have been faceless.
“He was always a man of his word. Whenever he undertook to do something you instinctively knew that it would be signed, sealed and delivered in a timely manner without further enquiry.
“Efficiency and promptitude were the hallmarks of his approach to getting his very extensive workload completed. He relied on the cooperation of affiliated shows in relation to certain necessary paperwork but, unfortunately, this was not always forthcoming.
“His patience and professionalism always came to the fore in these situations as he never succumbed to impetuosity and would remain calm but firm. If the odd show secretary got a telling off, he or she most likely deserved it but once said it was over and done with,” he added after a weekend of tributes.
Such rebukes by Hughes were rare. “For example, you could get very frustrated dealing with exhibitors qualification paperwork when it’s not in order. On the other hand, you are very conscious of the fact that show secretaries are all doing a voluntary job and we all try our best,” he said.
A man of nature – a day in the bog was his way of unwinding from his ISA duties – and proud grandfather, Hughes is a massive GAA fan. He has missed just a handful of All-Ireland finals since 1963, once by attending Bantry Show and on another occasion when he gave away his ticket to a Clareman. “It was such a historic year [1995] as Clare had qualified for the All Ireland hurling final and ended up beating Offaly.”
Another love is country and western music, something which he grew up with in the carnival era. In fact, one tried and trusted method of fund-raising for Mountbellew show in the past was running a popular two-week carnival which one year alone raised a profit of £1,487.
Although such carnivals were by and large of their time, local shows and country and western music are still very much part and parcel of Irish country life.
“I’m fully convinced though that the live band will make a comeback, the wheel always turns full circle” he remarked. “I’ve always been a big country and western music fan and have lots of tapes in the car to listen to as you go along.”
That I can vouch for as living 15 miles apart, the obliging Hughes and the ‘ISA-mobile’ would often appear at the gate on the morning of a show. Travelling to shows with this amiable character, usually with a Johnny Cash soundtrack, the ‘no shop talk’ ground rule and a Chill Insurance TV ad-worthy scrap over who would pay for any meal on the way home are great memories.
Not that such friendship ever got in the way of objective reporting, something Hughes completely understood. “We cannot sing the media’s praises loud enough, particularly through yourself and the Farmers Journal and The Irish Field. It put us out there and people know what’s happening.
GOING AWAY PRESENT
Whatwere the highlights? “There were lots of highlights to be honest about it, certainly the announcement last year about the funding for shows was a huge shot in the arm for me.
“We had made representations to the Minister [Michael Ring] for funding, hoping to get something and it was really one of the highlights of my time as national secretary of the Irish shows that we got that funding. It was badly needed, some were struggling.
“I’d hope Michael [Ring] wouldn’t take any offence but I’m telling all the shows that was my going away present! It was wonderful, the timing was perfect, it wasn’t set up that way, it just happened and I’m grateful that the shows had it before I left and I’m hopeful it will continue into the future,” he said.
For his part, Michael Ring, the Minister for Community and Rural Development, acknowledges the role played by Hughes and the ISA, saying: “Over the last two years, I have allocated over €1.4 million to agricultural shows in an effort to support these vital rural community events. I was at a lot of shows during the summer and it was great to see the impact that this funding has had.
“From talking to people at the shows and on my visits to rural communities, it is clear that there is great affection and respect for Michael in rural communities throughout the country. Agricultural shows are a valuable and much loved part of rural culture and Michael has helped keep this wonderful tradition alive. For that, we owe him a debt of gratitude,” the Minister added.
The contribution to the Irish economy was a point often made by Hughes. “You only have to look at a typical show to see how it contributes to the economy. Apart from the spin-off to the equestrian economy, look at the revenue that goes indirectly to the government from VAT on diesel or a meal on the way home.”
There were years when there was none or a limited contribution, for example when the infamous foot-and-mouth outbreak shut down Ireland in 2001 or 2012 when 30% of the summer shows that year were either cancelled or curtailed due to bad weather. Attracting and retaining sponsorship, particularly when the recession hit, was another challenge.
“There was lots of improvement made at shows this year, safety benefited big time with new barriers invested in [as part of the €812,000 funding from the Department of Rural and Community Development]. That first round of funding, coupled with the grant provided by Minister Michael Creed, through the Department of Agriculture towards the cost of insurance for agricultural shows, had a huge impact this summer.
“Going forward, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, shows need to diversify into getting more people through the gates. Shows will have to change, continue to diversify and continue to get young people involved. Give them some responsibility, don’t treat them like free labour.”
He’s weathered all those past challenges in his stride, proving to be one of the association’s greatest assets and his successors now take up the mantle.
“You couldn’t say a bad word about him” is an oft-repeated comment heard about the man from Mountbellew, while another well-known West of Ireland character, Jimmy Canavan once summed up Hughes’ nationwide impact with this succinct observation: “Michael Hughes has been God’s gift to the Irish shows/”
This summer has been an opportunity for shows to bid him farewell and he has been the bashful recipient of many presentations made to him by agricultural show committees. Now that the ISA AGM is over and the files are handed over to Jim Harrison, what’s next for Michael Hughes?
“I’ll probably miss all that for a while but I’ll learn to occupy myself. I’m looking forward to spending more time with my four grandchildren and I’m very good at timber work, so I’ll be kept busy in the garage.”
And the best part of a job he made his inimitable own? “I love meeting people from the four corners of Ireland and from Ballymoney to Bantry, Bannow and Rathangan to Inishowen. I have made wonderful friends in every corner of Ireland.”
tributes
“Michael has been a great advocate for agricultural shows both publicly and at a political level. He has been to the fore in both promoting the shows and, when necessary, outlining the challenges they face. Michael is handing over the reins to Jim Harrison from Castleblayney and I wish Jim every success in the role. I know that retirement will afford Michael more time to spend out on the bog and with his beloved grandchildren. I am sure he will continue to frequent the shows and I look forward to seeing him at them next summer.” - Michael Ring, TD, Minister for Rural and Community Development
“I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Michael over the past 15 months. His energy, good humour, positive approach and ‘can do’ attitude will be greatly missed. On behalf of all at Horse Sport Ireland I would like to wish Michael all the very best in his retirement and I look forward to meeting him throughout the summer at agricultural shows all around the country.” - Ronan Murphy, CEO Horse Sport Ireland
“He was always a gentleman to his fingertips. He never liked to be praised or commended for his enormous contributions to the ISA. Indeed, he has an unusual capacity / penchant for self-deprecation. It was an honour and a privilege to work with Michael and on behalf of the ISA I wish to sincerely thank Michael for his work and achievements for the ISA over many years and I wish Michael and his wife, Maureen, a long and happy retirement together and I hope that they will be able to do and enjoy some of the things that they had no chance of doing down the years due to Michael’s work commitments.” - David Sheehan, ISA President
“Our AGM in the Canal Court in Newry last weekend was dedicated to Michael and no more than he deserved. Now that Michael has retired, it has been left to me, as a lot of people have said to me, to fill his boots.” - Jim Harrison, ISA national secretary