Eight years ago the young woman who started the “agri-porn” phenomenon of the Irish Farmer Calendar on a whim could not have predicted that her first orders for the 2017 would come from Massachusetts and her new book full of stripped down Irish farmers would be published by a New York press.

The calendar’s concept is a simple one. Basically, it’s 12 Irish farmers having out doing regular Irish farmer activities such as playing jump rope with a dog or showing off their guns with some snails…all with no tops on. What’s amazing about this light-hearted charity calendar that last year it topped the Irish Calendar charts, beating One Direction, and they also landed a book deal with St. Martin’s Press, in New York.

The woman behind these hunky, undeniably Irish publications, is Ciara Ryan. When she was 25 years old and the recession had hit Ireland hear, eight years ago, she started her company CR Enterprises and the international phenomenon of the Irish Farmer’s Calendar was launched.

Christened “agri porn” by Irish TV host Ryan Tubridy, the calendar has received orders from the US, Australia, UK, Germany, Poland and France, Hong Kong, South Africa, with an international audience hungry to see the charms of Ireland’s farms. What’s even better is that a portion of the proceeds goes to the charity, Bothair, which enables families and communities worldwide to overcome hunger and poverty and to restore the environment in a sustainable way.

The calendar’s founder Ciara revealed that this year’s hunks of agricultural charm hail from Cork, Limerick, Kilkenny and Tipperary and Galway. Resplendent with their farmers’ tans, they appear in their full (or at least topless) glory along with goats, rabbits, a highland cow, snails, sheep, a pig and a dog. The calendar was shot on a snail farm in Carlow (Gealic Escargot) a pet farm in Kilkenny (Nore Valley Park, Bennettsbridge) and Newbridge House, and farm in Donabate, Dublin.

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Ryan says interest in the calendar this year is far exceeding previous years and the feedback has been tremendous and added that the first order for next year came from Massachusetts.

The man responsible for these great shots, photographer Ian Shipley said “All the lads were brilliant and managed to keep smiling despite being a bit cold minus their shirts.”

If you’re thirst for Irish Farmers in all their glory remained unsated by the brilliant 2017 this year Ryan has released the first Irish Farmer’s book, available in Barnes and Noble and on Amazon. The full colour coffee table book features the best pictures from the calendar series from the last 7 years, interspersed with hilarious quotes from the farmers, the stars of the show, who up until now have been silent. The book has hit Irish bookshelves and 10pc of the proceeds will go to Irish farming charity Bóthar.

For more information on all the stripped down Irish Farmer produce visit www.farmercalendar.com.