Mr. John Johnston of Farney Herefords was awarded the National Hall of Fame Award in 2024 on behalf of the Irish Hereford Breed Society.

John farms in Toomevara with his wife Mary and daughter Rebecca with the Farney Hereford Herd being founded in 1963.

The foundation female for the pedigree herd was Knockfin 46^th, bred by Tim Scott, Rathdowney. Her first heifer calf bred the champion bull in Thurles bull sales in 1970.

A further female was added to the herd in 1970, Ballyeachan Rosa 6^th and her second calf was a heifer by Crown Lusty, who was leased by the Department of Agriculture for use in pedigree herds, and owned by John’s great friend, Bobby Powell of Blean Herefords. This heifer calf went on to breed bulls that sold to 600 guinneas at the famed Fitz’s bull sales in Limerick. Farney Duke was champion at Kilkenny bull sales in 1988 and was purchased by Bob Morris, Newtown, Co. Wexford.

John judged at many shows and sales over the years and is one of the most recognizable faces in the Hereford fraternity. One of his judging highlights was being asked to officiate at the Irish Hereford Premier Spring bull sale, then held in Roscommon, in the early 1990s – an occasion John still remembers with great pride.

Another key success for the Farney Herd in more recent times came in 2018 when Farney Osmondo was reserve Premier Hereford bull calf champion at Nenagh Show. This bull also stood top of his class at Cappamore, Limerick and Clonaslee shows and later sold for pedigree breeding to the well known Ballyaville Hereford herd in Co Offaly.

John is still showing cattle well into his 80s, having secured a rosette at the National Hereford Calf Show just last November with a homebred bull calf.