Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster were delighted to return to the Millennium Forum, on Saturday 16th April for the 2022 YFCU Arts Gala, sponsored by NFU Mutual Charitable Trust. YFCU welcomed Mayor of Derry City & Strabane Councillor Graham Warke, special guests, members and supporters, for a long awaited night of drama, laughs and entertainment.
Ulster Farmers Union - Wesley & Gilda Aston, William & Ruth Irvine, Victor & Carol Chestnutt, YFCU President Peter Alexander
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane, Councillor Graham Warke, Audrianne Mulgrew and YFCU President Peter Alexander
Louise Millsopp, DAERA, & Eddie Millsopp and YFCU President Peter Alexander
The evening was compered by the sharp-witted Sean Hegarty and showcased performances from Arts Festival Finalists; Glarryford YFC, Mountnorris YFC, Randalstown YFC, Kilrea & Garvagh YFC and Kilraughts YFC, who kept the laughter flowing, toes tapping and audience engaged throughout.
Special thanks to Chestnutt Animal Feeds Ltd for sponsoring the YFCU Arts Gala VIP reception and interval refreshments.
Chestnutt Animal Feeds Ltd - Daniel & Miread McKay, Richard Beattie & Lynsay Hawkes, YFCU President Peter Alexander, David & Christa Dunlop.
Following performances, while adjudicators Aodh McCay and Ellen Hasson deliberated the ‘Outstanding Performance of the Night’, special Guest Speaker David Wright, NI Editor, Irish Farmers Journal, continued the comical theme of the evening in his address to the audience, encouraging YFCU members to take advantage of life opportunities, in order to create and plan for the future they want to achieve.
Guest Speaker David Wright, Irish Farmers Journal and YFCU President Peter Alexander.
The results of the 2022 Arts Festival and Gala Awards were then announced by YFCU President Peter Alexander and kindly presented by Martin Malone, Regional Director of NFU Mutual Northern Ireland and Scotland.
YFCU President Peter Alexander, Martin Malone, NFU Mutual and Alison Malone
Most Amusing Moment and Best Choreography was awarded to Glarryford YFC for their performance of Fish & Ships; Randalstown took the award for Best Choral Piece for ‘Under the Sea’; while Kilraughts YFC won Most Imaginative Theme and Most Innovative Musical Moment.
Glarryford Producers – Back row: Philip Dickie, John Christie, YFCU President Peter Alexander, Mark McAuley. Front row: Bartlett, Rachel Mills & Grace Doran
Randalstown Producers – Back Row: James Hughes, YFCU President Peter, Barkley Thompson. Front Row: Zara Hughes, Sarah Thompson, Alison Thompson
Randalstown Cast Members getting ready for stage
Kilrea and Garvagh Producers – Janice Irwin, Kathleen Cunningham, YFCU President Peter Alexander and Charlotte Linton.
Mountnorris YFC cast members getting ready for stage
The final presentation of the evening and most prestigious honour of the competition ‘Outstanding Performance of the Night’ was awarded to Kilraughts YFC, for their production of The Magic in Me.
Kilraughts Producers – David Dunlop, Cynthia Currie, Jackie McNeill, Hannah Kirkpatrick and YFCU President Peter Alexander
A special thanks to all the producers and stage crew for their hard work and commitment to making each performance run smoothly; the adjudicators of the Arts Festival and Gala, Ita McVeigh and John Trueman, Aodh McCay & Ellen Hasson for their feedback to members and expertise; and to the Millennium Forum for hosting the evening.
The organisation would like to again extend our sincere thanks to NFU Mutual Charitable Trust for the continued sponsorship of the YFCU Arts Festival and Gala.