A Journey of a Lifetime: Tasmanian Dairy Farmers Explore Ireland

A Journey of a Lifetime: Tasmanian Dairy Farmers Explore Ireland

On June 22nd 2025, I joined the Tasmanian group of dairy farmers for what would become a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Dublin, Ireland. After an extended layover in Melbourne and a lengthy flight to Dubai, we finally met up with the groups from Western Australia and South Australia before boarding our final flight to Dublin.

Approximately 30 hours after departing Tasmania, we touched down in Ireland. A brief wait due to bus issues didn’t dampen our excitement, and we were soon on our way to Malahide Castle. The castle, with its fascinating history and ties to Tasmania through the Talbot family, was a highlight of the day. Following the tour, we boarded the bus again and made our way to the Fairways Hotel in Dundalk for a much-needed rest.

The next morning we were treated to an insightful presentation by agricultural consultant Nollaig Heffernan. The afternoon was spent visiting Dan Kelly’s Irish Cider Company, where we enjoyed a variety of tastings and learned about the cider-making process.

On Day 3, we visited a beef finishing farm and a family-owned supermarket run by the Casey Brothers. A particularly impressive aspect of the visit was meeting the young manager, just 19 years old, who demonstrated an incredible depth of knowledge. The day’s highlight continued with a Black Taxi Tour in Belfast, which explored the city’s political struggles from the 1970s through to 1998. While the peace agreement has been signed, lingering divisions between parties are still felt today. We took a moment to sign the Peace Wall and had some free time to explore Belfast's city center before heading back to Dundalk.

Day 4 took us to the Purcell and McGlew Dairy Farm Partnership, where we received our first introduction to the dairy industry in Ireland. This was followed by a visit to Ballymakenny Heritage Potato Farm. The day concluded with a tour of the Tallons’ Large-Scale Family Dairy Farm, which milks around 1,200 cows across four milking platforms. A key takeaway from this visit was the derogation extension scheme, which limits the amount of nitrogen a farm can apply to grass per hectare annually. While the original scheme restricts farmers to applying 170 kg of nitrogen per hectare, the Tallons, due to the scale of their operation, are eligible to apply up to 250 kg per hectare.

A visit to Dara Killeen’s farm provided valuable insight into how someone with no initial interest in dairy farming can successfully build a highly profitable enterprise from the ground up. Dara took over the farm in 2019 and quickly found his footing, earning the title of Young Farmer of the Year in 2020—just one year into his dairy journey.

Today, he milks approximately 150 cows, employing a grazing system from February to November, with the herd housed indoors during December and January. His approach is grounded in simplicity and sustainability, ensuring the business remains easy to manage and transition. Dara prioritizes quality over quantity, focusing on milk solids rather than total volume, a strategy that underpins the success of his operation.

Day 8 – "Lely Day"

Day 8, also referred to as Lely Day, focused on visiting several farms utilizing the Lely Astronaut robotic milking system. As the platinum sponsor of the trip, Lely was prominently featured throughout the day. The Lely Astronaut is an advanced, automated milking system that allows cows the freedom to choose when they are milked. This is integrated with a 3-laneway or A-B-C grazing setup managed through a Grazeway sorting gate, enabling cows to move to fresh pasture after milking at designated times of the day. As a farmer with a strong interest in emerging agricultural technologies, I found this day to be one of the highlights of the trip. It offered a firsthand look at an innovative milking approach that was entirely new to me.

Teagasc Moorepark Open day 

Moorepark, a major research centre located in Fermoy; Co. Cork, hosts the Teagasc Open Day every two years. This event focuses on developments within the Irish dairy industry, with this year’s theme centered around “Innovation for the Future.”

Upon arrival, attendees gathered at the entrance before proceeding in large groups to four main billboard presentation areas. These billboards covered key industry topics: “Taking Stock – Where to from Here,” “The Business of Dairying,”“Accelerating Genetic Gain,” and “Growing 15 Tonnes DM/ha.”

Following these presentations, we explored 13 different themed “villages,” each showcasing a specific area of interest such as Grass, Dairy Beef, and AgTech. I was particularly drawn to the AgTech village. Interestingly, while visiting a stand hosted by one of Ireland’s leading dairy collar providers, I found they were more interested in learning about the Halter cow collar system currently used on my farm in Meander, rather than presenting the features of their own technology.

After several hours of engaging displays and discussions, we continued our journey towards Cork in anticipation of Day 11, which promised an exciting tourist destination and the opportunity to observe a new species.

The "Gift of the Gab" was something I hadn’t given much thought to — until visiting Blarney Castle and kissing the famous Blarney Stone, which is said to bestow eloquence upon anyone brave enough to lean backwards over the castle’s edge to kiss it.

However, the castle itself wasn’t the only highlight of our visit. The surrounding grounds are also home to a working beef farm, which is typically closed to the public. That said, the news of a group of enthusiastic young Australian farmers — bearing gifts from home — visiting the castle was enough to open a few extra gates. We were fortunate to receive a behind-the-scenes tour of the farm, offering us a unique perspective not usually available to regular visitors.

Blarney Castle and Macroom Buffalo Cheese Farm Visit

Following an insightful morning exploring the rich history and charm of Blarney Castle, we made our way to a unique agricultural experience—Macroom Buffalo Cheese Farm. Home to approximately 700 water buffalo, the farm was established in 2009 when owner Johnny Lynch imported 31 buffalo from Northern Italy, aiming to pursue a distinctly different path from conventional Irish farming.

Our visit began with a lunch featuring buffalo burgers and buffalo cheese—both unexpectedly delicious. We were then introduced to one of the farm’s more unusual residents, affectionately referred to as the "brainer cow." These buffalo were striking in size and bore a notable resemblance to traditional cattle, although they appeared quite content to stand quietly by the water troughs.

The next stop was the milking parlour. Structurally similar to a standard herringbone dairy parlour, it featured additional safety measures designed specifically for managing the buffalo. We also had the opportunity to interact with a lively group of calves, who were more than happy to receive attention and affection from our group.

This visit was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the trip. For anyone travelling to Ireland, a stop at Macroom Buffalo Cheese Farm comes highly recommended.

Ballykeefe Distillery and Hurling in Kilkenny

Ballykeefe Distillery came highly recommended by my employer, who had visited during his own time in Ireland. His suggestion proved well-founded. Upon arrival, we were welcomed with a tasting of their Sloe Gin, which offered a beautifully balanced flavour of sloe berries.

We then took part in a guided tour of the distillery, learning about the supportive nature of the Irish distilling community. In Ireland, there is a shared understanding that the quality of every product reflects on the entire industry—making the prevention of even a single subpar batch a collective priority. The tour also shed light on the challenges faced by smaller distilleries, particularly when launching new products in a competitive market.

The visit concluded with a tasting of Ballykeefe’s single malt whiskey, a warming and satisfying end to our time there. Later, we travelled to Kilkenny for a free day of exploration. That evening, we had the opportunity to attend a local Division 3 hurling match. Hurling is a traditional Irish sport where players use a hurley (a wooden stick) to strike a sliotar (ball), aiming to score by sending it over the crossbar for one point, or under for a goal worth three points. I spoke with a local spectator who shared some insight into the game’s culture and intensity. His humorous take on the rules was: “If someone hits you, hit back harder. If someone runs at you, run harder.” The match concluded with a victory for the Kilkenny team, capping off another memorable day.

As our trip neared its end, we made our way toward Dublin. On our first evening in the city, we were treated to an unforgettable experience at Celtic Nights, a live Irish music and dance show accompanied by a traditional three-course meal. The high-energy performance was thoroughly enjoyed by the entire group, with one of our group members even joining the performers on stage to try his hand at Irish dancing.

On Day 15, our final full day in Ireland, we began with a guided tour of the Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens. The tour provided a fascinating look into the world of horse breeding, including a visit to the legendary stallions of the stud. One retired stallion, notable for once commanding a stud fee of €120,000 per successful pregancy captured much of our attention.

Later, we visited the Guinness Storehouse for a comprehensive tour of the iconic brewery. Spanning seven floors, the experience offered in-depth insight into the production of Guinness—from the specific wheat used and the consistent yeast strain (unchanged since 1903), to the roasting temperatures, water usage, and even the proper technique for drinking a pint. The level of detail involved in crafting this world-famous stout was far beyond what many of us had expected.

To conclude the day, we came together for our final group dinner. It was a time for reflection, shared stories, and farewells, as most of us prepared to return to our farms, while a few continued on with their holidays.

 

Looking back on what was truly an unforgettable trip, I am extremely grateful for the support provided by Rural Youth, as well as to the Young Dairy Network Australia for their efforts in organising the entire tour. Gaining insight into how another country operates within the agricultural and dairy industries was incredibly eye-opening. As a young farmer aspiring to grow and progress within our own industry here in Tasmania and Australia, this experience has been inspiring.