WE waited and waited, eventually to no avail. Our hopes of hosting the annual get-together for the Connolly’s Red Mills/The Irish Field Breeder of the Year announcement had to be abandoned.

A dozen winners, by popular vote, of our monthly competition were amazingly patient, not even being able to celebrate by displaying their silver salvers to family. We kept on hoping that a window of opportunity would present itself, and that Pat Keane in the Hanged Man’s could host what would have been our 15th annual celebration dinner.