Toome’ woman on mart committee

A little bit of history was made recently when a female farmer from Toomevara became the first woman to become a member of the Regional Advisory Committee of the livestock mart group, Central Auctions.

After she secured the position Margaret Berkery Ryan received a resounding applause from the predominantly male attendance at the AGM of Central Auctions in the Abbey Court Hotel in Nenagh. The mother of two adult children operates a suckler cow and sheep farm in Toomevara and is well known in livestock mart circles.

As an only child, she inherited the farm of her late parents over three decades ago and has since been a very familiar face at marts in Nenagh and Roscrea. The Berkery family are steeped in farming tradition. Margaret is a second cousin of the former Chief Executive of the Irish Farmers Association, Michael Berkery and former Fine Gael councillor Tom Berkery. Margaret was encouraged to seek the position on the committee due her vast practical knowledge on how marts operate. The members who supported her felt she would have a lot to offer as a member. “I think it is good to have a woman on the committee because times are changing and I have to say I have been welcomed with open arms,” Margaret told The Guardian. Over the years she has witnessed vast changes in how marts operate.

She says one of the most positive developments has been the introduction of online livestock sales that has now become the norm after their forced introduction in the first year of the pandemic following the temporary closure of marts to reduce infections. Central Auctions is the umbrella group that oversees the operation of marts in Nenagh, Roscrea and Birr.