Will’s World: Inspiring conference and a great craic in Cork
© Richard Stanton The present Mrs Evans and I attended the Positive Farmers Conference in Cork a few weeks ago, for the second year in a row.
It was a fantastic few days where delegates gained insights into running highly profitable farm businesses from some truly inspirational speakers.
We also heard about the importance of finding the balance between working on the farm and spending time with family. If you’ve never been before, I can highly recommend it.
As we both love the south of Ireland and its people so much, we went over a day early so we could have some rare time together and explore a little bit of Cork.
See also: How an Irish farmer keeps his spring-calving system on track
About the author
On the town
It’s an odd experience for busy people to have nothing to do but mooch about, and it takes some getting used to.
For the first few hours, we both felt like naughty children who’d skipped school, and I kept getting nightmarish visions of the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
We were probably just hungry. After a tasty brunch at a vibrant café full of youthful student types, both of us felt better about life.
Doubtless they admired my checked shirt, sensible jumper, jeans and dealer boots combo in there too. The present Mrs Evans didn’t agree on this, however, which was hurtful, to say the least.
Still, we put that behind us and headed off on a walk to visit Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral. We both enjoy a cathedral and try to see them whenever we’re somewhere new.
They’re very moving places and I like to sit on a pew and quietly contemplate life for a bit, as well as light a candle for loved ones lost.
It’s extra special if a choir happens to be practising – though lamentably they weren’t on this occasion.
© Will Evans
Instant karma
After all that soul searching and salvation, there was only one place to go next – a pub – and I’d found one online that I liked the look of. It was a bit of a walk, but on entering I knew I’d hit the jackpot.
It was called Sin-é and couldn’t have been more perfect.
Low lighting, music memorabilia, witty graffiti on the walls of the gents, a cast of local characters sitting along the bar, the friendliest of landlords, and the ubiquitous Murphy’s on draught.
All my prayers at the cathedral had been answered.
As I returned from the bar, I discovered that my better half had made some new friends and was busy telling them our life story.
It’s a long-standing joke in our family that she’ll do this if left alone for two minutes in a crowd. As the grumpy antisocial sort, my heart sank to see that it had happened once again.
But as usual I was wrong, and we spent a lovely hour talking to John and Oonagh who were there on a day trip from Limerick.
John was especially delighted to learn that I was a farmer, coming from a family farming background himself.
“Tell me, how do you get on with your father now?” he asked. “We’ve had our moments, but pretty well I’d say,” I replied.
He thought about this for a second, then dispensed the following wisdom: “Make sure you take him for a pint sometimes – farming sons don’t do that enough, and it’s important.”
I’ve thought about this a lot since, and whether John was put in my path for some mysterious reason. Either way, I’m taking his advice – cheers to fathers, sons and divine interventions.