CONGRATULATIONS to Nessa Joyce, manager of the Irish European Breeders Fund, on her engagement to Alan Burns, an agronomist with Brophy Agri in Tullow, Co Carlow.

Nessa told us the proposal was a simple one as the couple are not into flamboyant romantic gestures. “I was completely taken by surprise,” she said. “We were in our new house on Christmas Eve night, relaxing, and Alan asked out of the blue with a beautiful ring. I said ‘yes’.”

Alan is from a farming family in Mountmellick, Co Laois. He played and coached rugby for Tullow until recently.

Nessa and Alan hope to get married in July.