The Guild holds numerous events throughout the year for members and every year we hold one major event.
Journalism Awards
Every two years, the Guild organises and presents the Agricultural Journalism Awards to recognise outstanding work.
The awards are open to both members and non-members of the Guild and the aim of the awards is to encourage excellence in agricultural journalism on the island of Ireland.
Categories include: National Print, Local Print, National Broadcasting, Local Broadcasting, Technical Journalism, Targeted Communications, and Photography. There is also an overall award, for the work deemed to have been of exceptional merit by the adjudicating panel.
Winners of each category receive a cash prize and scroll, while the overall winner receives a cash prize and the ‘Bull’ bronze trophy.
Michael Dillon Lecture
Michael Dillon Lecture 2009
Mary Robinson discussed food security and the role of agriculture at the 2009 Michael Dillon Memorial Lecture. Michael Dillon died in 1992, after a hugely successful career in agricultural journalism that lasted more than 40 years. He was noted as a writer and broadcaster with a constructive approach to farming and the many changes that he saw happen throughout his lifetime. For her full speech click here
Michael Dillon Lecture 2007
The 2007 Michael Dillon lecture was a great succes for the Guild. Taking place on October 19 in the Royal College of Physicians, the Guild guest speaker John Bruton, a former Taoiseach, and the current EU Ambassador to the US, spoke on the impact of global imbalances and energyuse on efforts to tackle climate change.
The former Taoiseach said the EU and US combined currently constitute 12% of the world’s population, enjoy 62% of the world’s income and consume over 40% of the world’s energy.
In contrast, Africa and China account for 34% of the world’s population but enjoy only 6.5% of the world’s income and consume less than 10% of the world’s energy.
“These imbalances create a profound factor for instability in the world. They lie behind the immigration pressure experienced in Europe and the upward pressure on oil prices and they greatly complicate our efforts to design an agreed and fair plan to deal with the problem of climate change on a global basis,” he said.
The lecture, which honours the late Michael Dillon, one of Ireland’s first agricultural journalists and broadcasters, was sponsored by the Kerry Group.
Michael Dillon Lecture 2005
The 2005 Michael Dillon memorable lecture took place with almost 150 guild members and guests attending to hear Peter Sutherland at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham in November.
The second lecture was a huge success and Hugh Friel, of Kerry Group who sponsored the event, said Sutherland’s unique insight into world trade issues and the impact of current negotiations on the EU Agri-Food sectors, was drawn from his wide experience and deep understanding of such critical issues.
Guests at the Lecture included IFA President Padraig Walshe, ICMSA President Jackie Cahill; Macra na Feirme President Colm Markey; ICOS Director General John Tyrell; Teagasc Director Jim Flanagan; Department of Agriculture Secretary General Tom Moran and Martin Territt of the EU Commission. Michael Dillon’s family was represented by his wife Nora, and three of their children.
