Methodist Church in Ireland at Balmoral Show

The Methodist Church in Ireland has many congregations both north and south on this Island whose members are involved in agriculture and in 1947 it established Gurteen Agricultural College in Co Tipperary.

One of its alumni is Mr Simon Coveney TD the current Tanaiste of the Irish government.

When Dr Laurence Graham, the current president of the Methodist Church in Ireland visits the show on its opening day, he will feel very much at home.

His maternal grandfather was a past president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union.

The president is himself graduated with a BSc in Agriculture from Reading University.

This was followed by a time as an agricultural advisor to a Methodist project in Haiti.

During his year as president, Dr Graham has visited the National Plough Championships, the leadership of the Ulster Farmers’ Union and a project in Cookstown concerned with the mental health of farming families.