Regional Manager Ben Wilkinson hangs up his boots
THE recent retirement of Ben Wilkinson after a career of four decades brings an end to an era for the agricultural advisory service in Sligo.
The aim of the service is to provide farm families with advice that improves their family farm income and quality of life. Ben was very committed to these aims throughout his career in the various roles he had in the advisory, education and management section of the service.
The attributes necessary for these roles were enhanced by his very successful career with the County Sligo Gaelic Football Team. He was a prominent member of the very successful Sligo Team of 1975, which won a Connaught Championship that year. He continued with County and Club Coolaney Mullinabreena and later was successful in mentoring and managing this club to many successes.
His career began with the advisory service in Ballymote in the courthouse. The mid 1970’s was a time of many new developments in farming as Ireland had recently joined the EEC. Ben was very dedicated in promoting these developments and advising farmers how to manage these changes in a practical way.
In the 1980’s the advisory service was reconstructed. Ben’s role for a number of years as a Pig Specialist (Specialist in Pig Husbandry and Management) advising mainly the commercial pig units in the Western and North Western Counties.
When the new farm environmental schemes were introduced in the early 1990’s, Ben returned to work in County Sligo again. He was very involved in this Environmental Scheme. His work involved drawing up of suitable environmental plans for farmers and their farms. He was involved in accessing the mountain commonages which had become much degraded due to overstocking in the late 1970’s and 1980’s.
During the last six years Ben was Regional Manager of the Agricultural Advisory Service for Counties Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal. The attributes of good management skills, anticipation and judgement acquired through his sporting career ensured he was very successful as Manager in dealing with issues that occurred in the region. He continues his relationship with Colleagues and farmers. He always had time to enjoy the banter about sport politics and local issues and on social occasions with his Colleagues.
We extend to Ben, his wife Christina and their children Ian, Lloyd and Hazel every good wish for the future. Ben can look forward to a happy healthy retirement as he reflects back on a career of fond memories and fulfilling achievements.