Belted Galloways and White Galloways are enjoying an upsurge in popularity all over Ireland, and in 2011 a meeting was hosted by the Castlemartin Stud in Co. Kildare. An enthusiastic group of breeders attended the event and it was clear that there was sufficient interest to form an Irish Belted Galloway Breeders Club.
The idea of forming a club came about when Des Dunne and fellow Belted Galloway enthusiast Dessie Henry hosted an information day for cattle breeders at Castlemartin Stud in October 2011. Over 60 suckler farmers gathered to hear from the Belted Galloway Cattle Society chairperson Liz Wilkinson. The day was a great success, helping to showcase the Belted Galloway breed to suckler producers, promote the advantages of the upland breed on marginal land and create an Irish Belted Galloway club.
Following on from that opening day the inaugural meeting of the Irish Belted Galloway Club took place in the Marriott Hotel, Ashbourne, Co Meath on Wednesday 25th January 2012.
The meeting was chaired by Dessy Henry and Des Dunne and following an open discussion it was agreed that the objectives of the club should be;
1) Promotion of the breed
2) Marketing of the breed
3) A networking service for members
4) To provide social events for members
5) To uphold the integrity of the breed and the rules and constitution of the society.
Belted Galloway Club Ireland Committee
Chairman:
Gerard Walshe:
0861706371
[email protected]
Secretary:
Colm O’Neill
07759937255
[email protected]
PRO + Society Council:
John McHugh
0879707332
[email protected]
Society Council:
Dessy Henry
07785224776
dessy.henry11@gmail.com
Committee Members:
Des Dunne:
0872647594
[email protected]
Brian Moorhead:
07814425020
[email protected]
Brooke Huey:
07801630457
[email protected]
Harry Irvine:
07749415969
[email protected]
Eddie Leahy:
0879164877
[email protected]
Clarissa Delamere:
0877909039
[email protected]
Cathal McHugh:
0857603007
[email protected]
Belted Galloway Club Ireland e-mail address:
[email protected]
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