Local farmer in Ploughing fundraiser for Irish Kidney Association

Templederry man Liam Martin is donating a heifer to a raffle in support of the Irish Kidney Association at this year's National Ploughing Championships.

Suckler farmer Liam, whose son Darren donated a kidney to him in April 2015 (when Darren was just 25 years old), is also hoping that his initiative will increase organ donor awareness.

The raffle for the heifer will take place at the Irish Simmental Cattle Society stand at this week's championships at Screggan, Tullamore. Liam kindly offered to donate the heifer, which he will be bringing along to the event and displaying there as well as his prized plough bull.

He planned to travel back and forth to the ploughing championships for the three days. Liam enjoys attending the Ploughing Championships every year. In fact, when he was waiting for a kidney transplant, he turned down an important hospital appointment in order to attend the ploughing instead, but it was rescheduled for a few days later.

Prior to Liam's kidney transplant, Darren turned down a university place in Austria to do his Masters, as he was concerned for his father, who had been quite unwell with dialysis treatment that he commenced on Christmas Eve 2012. Instead, Darren decided to put himself forward for the living donation process. He is now working in Germany.

At the Irish Kidney Association stand, there will also be a raffle for another heifer, a pedigree Friesian heifer, kindly donated by father and son Larry and Kieran Dunican from Horseleap, Co Westmeath. Other prizes in the raffle include a Karcher K5 power washer and two nights nights and breakfast for two staying at Lough Rynn Castle in Leitrim.