Carbery Macra

During the past sixty years twenty-nine clubs have affiliated to Carbery Macra. Currently there are nine active branches in Carbery - Ballinadee, Ballinascarthy, Bantry, Caheragh, Clonakilty, Dunmanway, Innishannon, Kilmeen and Mizen. The first young farmers club in West Cork was Skibbereen, which was swiftly followed by Clonakilty a year later and Kilmeen the year after that. Only Clonakilty and Kilmeen clubs remain from the original line up of clubs. Mizen Macra is the youngest club, set up in 2002 while Dunmanway reorganised in 2000, Ballinadee was re-estabhlished in 2004 and Bantry in 2010. Caheragh celebrated its Fortieth Anniversary in 2004 while the two remaining clubs both have reached their Fiftieth Anniversaries Ballinascarthy in 2004 and Innishannon in 2007. Clonakilty celebrated sixty continuous years in 2008 and Kilmeen in 2010.

The Carbery Macra region is one of the most active Macra regions in the country. We boast the third highest membership nationally with two hundred and seventy members across West Cork. The region has an exceptionally strong history in competitions winning eight national titles in 2009 alone!

The region has also had the pleasure of hosting the National Conference affectionately known as the Macra Rally three times in 2009, 1998 and 1973.

Carbery clubs have reached the "Top 6 of the AIB National Club of the Year" for the last seven years. Innishannon four times, Ballinascarthy and Clonakilty twice and Caheragh once. Clonakity won the national title in 2003, Innishannon achieved runner-up two years in a row 2004 and 2005, and Ballinascarthy emulated this in 2006 and 2007.

These are clubs that have contributed to Macra life in West Cork over the past sixty years.