by Paul Neilan

A DUNDERRY farmer has come to the aid of those in the West and Midlands by coming together with other Meath farmers in appealing for and sending fodder to flooded fellow farmers.
Gus Martyn, who is originally from the Athenry area in Galway said that the idea to send silage, hay and saw to Galway, and to parts of Clare and Offaly, came about at a recent annual veterinary meeting. Since then, the response has been “unreal”.
“We were talking about it at the meeting, two or three of us were saying we should do something about these destroyed lands and silage pits,” says Gus.
“We took in a massive amount of donations. Whether it was one or twenty bales collected from individuals, the response was just huge.
“I went on LMFM to make the appeal and after that there were even people ringing up offering money, which we didn’t take, we asked them to buy meal or a half-tonne bag or donate to Balrath.
“About 20 or 30 lorry loads have gone from Meath so far and they are going to top men to allocate them – they are not just going here and there.
“I have to say the generosity of the people of Meath, Monaghan, Cavan and Louth was exceptional and through LMFM and farmer-to-farmer word there are still lorries going, especially in Cavan.”
Gus did his part so much that when Gerry Ryan came calling, his wife Olive had to speak to the DJ about the appeal – Gus had lost his voice.
“After Gerry Ryan it was coming in from all over, Carlow, Tipp, Kilkenny, you name it. I just have to say that it was an huge response from a small island but the generosity still be shown by farmers and hauliers is unreal,” he said.