A Cork woman has won the award for Farm Woman of the Year in Dublin today.
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Ms Maura Horgan, from Ballingeary, Macroom, Co Cork was presented with a certificate and a £3,000 cheque by the Tánaiste Ms Harney at the House of Lords, College Green Dublin.
The event is organised by the Bank of Ireland, the Irish Farmers Association and the Irish Farmers Journal to recognise the contribution that farm women make to the agricultural industry in Ireland.
Presenting the awards the Tánaiste said: "Women make an enormous contribution to the viability of family farms and generally making rural communities better places in which to live. Unfortunately this contribution undertaken by rural and farm women is not officially acknowledged".
Ms Horgan was voted as the overall winner by the panel of judges as she demonstrated extraordinary tenacity in creating an award-winning pedigree herd of Belgian Blue and Limousin cattle.
She also undertook both a farming and farm management course. her achievements.
The Alternative Enterprise award was presented to Ms Anne Keating of Clogheen, Co Tipperary for her success in developing her own brand of cheese - Bay Lough.
Regional winners were: Munster - Ms Mary Morris, Templemore, Co. Tipperary; Connaught - Ms Kate McMahon, Currantarmuid, Athenry, Co Galway; Leinster - Ms Kathleen Hargroves, Ballydavis, Portlaoise, Co Laois and Ulster - Ms Bernadette Duffy, Ballybay, Co Monaghan.