Page 137 - Guerin Media Ltd. | 2014 National Ploughing Catalogue
P. 137
Loy Association of Ireland
Cumann Lai na hEireann
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
A Message from the Chairperson concerning the future
and the production of food.
When the Loy Association was set up in 1992, it was easy enough to get an old loy irons or
loy heads. If you were lucky enough to get it complete with a handle there was no problem
but to make a new handle wasn’t easy.
Presently, a complete loy is very hard to come by. Some of the loy members have accomplished
the art of making a good loy. The best person I know of is Gerry Mallon, Donegal.
Unfortunately, when loys were plentiful and their use wasn’t important any more, the modern
spade was too easy to buy in the shop, so the loy died a sudden death.
With the present state of world affairs, increasing production costs due to heavy demands,
climate change, wars and over dependence on fossil fuels, just like the loy, the traditional
horse machinery is practically all gone – mostly recycled – no problem! Presently, all our food
is produced on oil but that’s grand! When we had the ration books during the last war our
elders called it ‘The Emergency’. We do not know when, where or how the next emergency is
going to happen. A word of advice to all owners of horse machinery, “Hold on. Do not send
it away to be recycled. The day will come when it will be all wanted again”. Meanwhile, we
live in hope that it won’t.
LOY ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND
Chairperson: Thomas Egan
For information on Loy digging log onto www.loyassociation.ie
or email tmaher1845@eircom.net.
Special thanks To Pat the Baker
Sponsor of the Pat the Baker Cup
“Senior All Ireland Club”
137
Cumann Lai na hEireann
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
A Message from the Chairperson concerning the future
and the production of food.
When the Loy Association was set up in 1992, it was easy enough to get an old loy irons or
loy heads. If you were lucky enough to get it complete with a handle there was no problem
but to make a new handle wasn’t easy.
Presently, a complete loy is very hard to come by. Some of the loy members have accomplished
the art of making a good loy. The best person I know of is Gerry Mallon, Donegal.
Unfortunately, when loys were plentiful and their use wasn’t important any more, the modern
spade was too easy to buy in the shop, so the loy died a sudden death.
With the present state of world affairs, increasing production costs due to heavy demands,
climate change, wars and over dependence on fossil fuels, just like the loy, the traditional
horse machinery is practically all gone – mostly recycled – no problem! Presently, all our food
is produced on oil but that’s grand! When we had the ration books during the last war our
elders called it ‘The Emergency’. We do not know when, where or how the next emergency is
going to happen. A word of advice to all owners of horse machinery, “Hold on. Do not send
it away to be recycled. The day will come when it will be all wanted again”. Meanwhile, we
live in hope that it won’t.
LOY ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND
Chairperson: Thomas Egan
For information on Loy digging log onto www.loyassociation.ie
or email tmaher1845@eircom.net.
Special thanks To Pat the Baker
Sponsor of the Pat the Baker Cup
“Senior All Ireland Club”
137
