Brideswell farmer is honoured for community work

A young man from Brideswell, who is involved in eleven local organisations, has won the Special Prize for Community Involvement at the annual Young Farmer of the Year awards. Tomás Beades, 23, who is a full-time farmer, received the honour at the 12th year of FBD-sponsored awards last week, after interviewers were impressed by his dedication and attitude towards getting involved in local initiatives. After graduating from Athlone IT with a degree in accountancy in May 2009, Tomás could not find a job. As well as deciding to work full-time on the family farm, Tomás also decided to become involved in the local community as a way of meeting people and to avoid getting "stuck in a rut". "I think if you're collecting social welfare, there's no incentive to get a job," he said. "I'd just left college and was stuck in a rut for a little while - watching TV, living for nothing. But there's so many opportunities out there, but I don't think young people are being encouraged or being asked to help out." Tómas is Chairman of the Cam/Dysart Macra na Feirme branch, a club which he stressed is open to every young man and woman living in the area, whether they are involved in farming or not. He is also chairman or secretary or involved in a host of other local organisations, including the Curraghboy Community Centre, Cam Celtic FC, the Brideswell Parish Committee, St Brigid's GAA Club, Cam Cemetery Committee, the local IFA branch, the South Roscommon branch of Fine Gael, the Roscommon Lamb Festival and the Young Farmers' Development Group. His reason behind this busy volunteer life, where he can be attending meetings five nights a week, is simple. "There's no point sitting around in a few years' time, saying this or that should have been done. It's best to get involved and do it yourself, give it your best and if it works out, great," he said. "I like being outdoors and playing sport. I like being active and meeting people. A lot of the groups I'm in, I'm the youngest by 30 or 40 years, but I don't mind mixing with a different age group, it's irrelevant when we're all after the one goal." He is also involved in a group trying to set up a youth club in the Brideswell area, along with help from the Roscommon County Enterprise Board, because it's "badly needed" as young people have little to do in their spare time. "It is a problem. When I was growing up, there was nothing to do either. We're only five miles from Athlone but if you hadn't someone around to drop you in, you were stuck at home," he added. "Sitting in front of the telly or playing computer games every evening, it's not good for the mind or your health." Twenty one contestants from all over Ireland took part in the 12th year's FBD Young Farmer of the Year final and Tomás was one of five eventual winners. The competition aims to recognise excellence in the agricultural industry and promote farming as a career with a bright future. He said he enjoys life as a full-time farmer. "It's getting easier," he said. "During the boom, it was farming that was in a recession, now it's the opposite. Some of the public turned against farmers because they were complaining when everyone else had it so good, but we're not complaining now as much." He said the upturn is partly because people are more conscious of buying Irish products in shops, but mainly because demand for sheep, beef, pigs and milk has increased, while supply had dropped over the past few years. And as Chairman of Cam/Dysart Macra, he encouraged locals to join. "The club was only set up last October, we have 17 members and we're hoping to get 25 this year," he said. "There's four of us working hard for the local club, we don't want the club to fail, we're going to work on it for five or six years. It's something for young people in the area to do." However, Tomás's ambitions remain local and said that currently, he had little desire in national roles with farming organisations or moving into politics. "I've no interest in personal gain. If someone asks me to do something, I'll do it," he said. "I can't see myself going into work in an office, I'm more for the outdoors."