'I have to get the slurry out pronto' says Big Week on the Farm star

Patrick Shalvey

Ken Whelan

April 11 2017 06:00 AM

A week of wall-to-wall publicity hasn't taken a whit out of Big Week on the Farm star Patrick Shalvey, who hosted the "spring show" at his dairy farm in Cootehill in Co Cavan last week.

"It was a rollercoaster week for myself and the family but it was just brilliant," Patrick told the Farming Independent. "I loved every minute of it. It was great the way the land and the lakes around the farm and Cootehill were shown on RTE. We take them for granted but it must have been a great boost for tourism in the county."

"I even have my Guinness Book of Records mention for the reverse tractor run from Virginia to the Poles Co-Op outside Cavan town", he added.

Patrick admitted that it was an exhausting week hosting the RTE team and its celebrity team of presenters but it was thoroughly enjoyable throughout.

When asked what it was like to appear nightly on TV for a whole week Patrick replied: "I'll put it to you this way I was in bed at eight o'clock on Saturday night last but I was up for milking at six o'clock."

The Cavan farmer was very impressed with the way the TV crew dismantled the set on the Cootehill farm last Saturday. "The speed with which they moved the amount of wiring and equipment used for the show was something else".

And what next for the dairyman now that the TV crews have departed?

"I have got to get the slurry out pronto style and I have other jobs around the farm to finish quickly", he hastened to add.

Last week's show attracted an audience of some 325,000 or the equivalent of 28pcof the available audience last Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights.