YFCU hold successful Public Speaking Competition Final, in partnership with NFU Mutual Charitable Trust
The Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster (YFCU), in collaboration with their platinum sponsor, the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust, hosted the finals of their highly anticipated Public Speaking Competition on Tuesday 27th October 2026.
The event took place at St Mary's Grammar School, Magherafelt and showcased the talents of over 100 YFCU members across Northern Ireland. These members qualified for the finals after the County Heats, which took place in October 2026. Chief Executive Officer, Derek Lough, said: “This competition is a testament to the commitment of our members, and of the personal and professional development of young farmers in Northern Ireland”. The annual competition gives participants a platform to build confidence, public speaking skills, research and preparation abilities, and time management.
Competitors chose to compete in either the Prepared or Impromptu sections, with some members participating in both. For the Prepared section, members chose a particular topic from a set list, supplied in advance of the competition with the aim of adhering to the times set per age category. The topics included “Failure is just as important as success”, “A day in the life of my pet”, “What would happen if farming stopped for a week”, “Why kindness matters” and “the importance of tradition”. The four impromptu topics were provided on the evening with 15 – 30 minutes to prepare a speech, which had to last over 90 seconds.
In the junior section of the prepared public speaking competition, George Mathers (Annaclone & Magherally YFC) won the 12-14 age category, James Millar (Glarryford YFC) won the 14-16 age category and Isabella Gregg (Glarryford YFC) won the 16-18 category. In the senior section of the prepared public speaking competition, Grace George (Collone YFC) won the 18-21 age category, Georgia Nicholl (Randalstown YFC) won the 21-25 age category and Linzi Kennedy (Collone YFC) won the 25-30 age category.
In the junior section of the impromptu public speaking competition, Nevin Patrick (Newtownstewart YFC) won the 12-14 age category, James Little (Glarryford YFC) won the 14-16 age category and Emily Maneely (Moneymore YFC) won the 16-18 category. In the senior section of the impromptu public speaking competition, Grace George (Collone YFC) won the 18-21 age category, Emma Knox (Crumlin YFC) won the 21-25 age category and Ellen King (Glarryford YFC) won the 25-30 age category.
The guest speaker for the evening was Sarah McAuley, who is an agent for the NFU Mutual South West Down and Lagan Group, and also a past member of YFCU. She shared how she had experienced first hand the many benefits that the organisation has to offer and how she continues to be grateful for the opportunities it has given her. She commended the members present for getting to the finals of the Public Speaking competition, being successful from among the hundreds of entrants who have competed this year and congratulated the winners.
Representing the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust on the night was Lauren Hamilton, commending all the members and expressing her admiration for the remarkable talent displayed throughout the night. The Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to platinum sponsor NFU Mutual Charitable Trust and all the judges who attended the heats and the final of the annual Public Speaking Competition.
