Major Neville Chance

Major Neville Chance

Born into the well-known Chance medical family in Dublin, Major Neville Chance was a former British Army Officer and was stationed in Northumberland during World War 2. He moved to Donegal where he settled into farming at Drumbarnett, Manorcunningham.  His farm production enterprises included cereals, potatoes and suckler beef. In 1962 he hosted a much-acclaimed demonstration of the latest advances in the mechanised harvesting of potatoes, a highly valued breakthrough in labour-saving practices at that time. His organisational skills were used to good effect by the Donegal farmers for the NFA’s historic march to Dublin in 1966. Later, Neville initiated and established a Donegal Branch of the IGA to serve the needs of local members who, due to time and travel constraints, were relatively distant from the core IGA programmes of meetings and farm study visits centred on Leinster and Munster venues. The proximity of east Donegal to Northern Ireland agriculture and associated technologies resulted in close linkages with the Ulster Grassland Society. Donegal Branch meetings of IGA continued up to the mid-1990s and were defined by the quality of speakers and lively discussions; Neville played an integral role in the promotion and development of knowledge for successful farming in all its aspects.

Neville Chance represented Co Donegal on the executive council of the National Farmers’ Association from 1955 through the 1960s. He was also active on the NFA Livestock Committee during that time and served as its Chairman in the early 1960s. He established an extensive inter-organisational review and policy development process on all aspects of the cattle and beef industry. This initiative contributed to many progressive developments in that sector
in subsequent years.

This memento is primarily about Neville Chance’s distinguished service to Irish farming. On his earlier WW2 military experience, it is worth noting that he had active service with the Allied Forces, including the Battle of Monte Cassino in Italy in May 1944. This decisive Allied victory led to the liberation of Rome, the defeat of the Axis powers and, ultimately, an end to the horrors of World War 2.