Few stories capture the spirit of resilience in Irish farming quite like that of Ned Kelly from Ballydrennan, Ballycommon, near Nenagh. Starting out in 1973 with just 33 acres, Ned’s path has been anything but smooth.
Twice the farm faced the devastation of losing the herd – first with brucellosis in 2001, and again with TB in 2003. Many would have walked away, but Ned kept the show on the road, supplementing the family income as a music teacher while slowly and steadily rebuilding the herd. Today, on 300 acres, 130 of them owned, he is milking 140 top-class cows and leading one of the most spotless and progressive farms in the country.
The Kelly farm is a true family enterprise. His father William, still sprightly at 81, remains hands-on, while Ned’s wife Eleanor oversees the bookwork and logistics. Their children bring both energy and personality to the yard: 13-year-old Liam already milks, drives machinery and plays accordion like his dad, while Orlaith is as comfortable with a harp as she is with her pony, proudly leading it out for inspection during the judges’ visit.
Kelly family farm, Nenagh.
Eoin, meanwhile, has an eye for horses too, hinting that a second pony may be on the cards. Ned’s nephew William is also a key member of the team and is well able to milk the herd on his own. Together, they give the farm a sense of warmth and continuity that embodies the Irish family farm at its best.
Ned is passionate about doing things right. Milking begins at 6.30am and by 7.45am the cows are back at grass, typically 299 days a year. Milking is finished every evening at 4.30pm, leaving time for plenty of other activities.
Attention to detail
Attention to detail shines through in every corner, from the immaculate roadways and cubicles with spotless rubber mats, to the rigorous milk recording programme, now being expanded from four to 10 tests a year.
Last year, 15% of the herd received selective dry cow therapy with a threshold of never having an SCC above 70,000. Any high cell count cows flagged on milk recording are investigated with the CMT and the implicated quarter identified and treated.
Environmental stewardship is front and centre. As a Signpost farmer, Ned has embraced clover, precision slurry spreading, and GPS fertiliser application, reducing chemical nitrogen while improving soil fertility. He has planted 310 metres of whitethorn hedgerows, fenced well back from the Nenagh River, and invested in solar energy. His carbon footprint stands at an impressive 0.95 – well below the national average.
Last year, 15% of the herd received selective dry cow therapy with a threshold of never having an SCC above 70,000.
Music remains a central thread in the Kelly household. Before Covid, Ned toured Europe with a traditional children’s orchestra, and he continues to bring Orlaith to harp lessons in Quin, Co Clare, twice a week. This love of music mirrors the harmony of the farm itself, where cows, calves, and people all seem to move in rhythm.
The Kelly farm has had an interesting journey to where it is today, an island of excellence overlooking Lough Derg.
It is a model of resilience, innovation, and family dedication, representing the very best of the Irish dairy sector and a place any consumer would be proud to see as the source of their milk.
Few stories capture the spirit of resilience in Irish farming quite like that of Ned Kelly from Ballydrennan, Ballycommon, near Nenagh. Starting out in 1973 with just 33 acres, Ned’s path has been anything but smooth.
Twice the farm faced the devastation of losing the herd – first with brucellosis in 2001, and again with TB in 2003. Many would have walked away, but Ned kept the show on the road, supplementing the family income as a music teacher while slowly and steadily rebuilding the herd. Today, on 300 acres, 130 of them owned, he is milking 140 top-class cows and leading one of the most spotless and progressive farms in the country.
The Kelly farm is a true family enterprise. His father William, still sprightly at 81, remains hands-on, while Ned’s wife Eleanor oversees the bookwork and logistics. Their children bring both energy and personality to the yard: 13-year-old Liam already milks, drives machinery and plays accordion like his dad, while Orlaith is as comfortable with a harp as she is with her pony, proudly leading it out for inspection during the judges’ visit.
Kelly family farm, Nenagh.
Eoin, meanwhile, has an eye for horses too, hinting that a second pony may be on the cards. Ned’s nephew William is also a key member of the team and is well able to milk the herd on his own. Together, they give the farm a sense of warmth and continuity that embodies the Irish family farm at its best.
Ned is passionate about doing things right. Milking begins at 6.30am and by 7.45am the cows are back at grass, typically 299 days a year. Milking is finished every evening at 4.30pm, leaving time for plenty of other activities.
Attention to detail
Attention to detail shines through in every corner, from the immaculate roadways and cubicles with spotless rubber mats, to the rigorous milk recording programme, now being expanded from four to 10 tests a year.
Last year, 15% of the herd received selective dry cow therapy with a threshold of never having an SCC above 70,000. Any high cell count cows flagged on milk recording are investigated with the CMT and the implicated quarter identified and treated.
Environmental stewardship is front and centre. As a Signpost farmer, Ned has embraced clover, precision slurry spreading, and GPS fertiliser application, reducing chemical nitrogen while improving soil fertility. He has planted 310 metres of whitethorn hedgerows, fenced well back from the Nenagh River, and invested in solar energy. His carbon footprint stands at an impressive 0.95 – well below the national average.
Last year, 15% of the herd received selective dry cow therapy with a threshold of never having an SCC above 70,000.
Music remains a central thread in the Kelly household. Before Covid, Ned toured Europe with a traditional children’s orchestra, and he continues to bring Orlaith to harp lessons in Quin, Co Clare, twice a week. This love of music mirrors the harmony of the farm itself, where cows, calves, and people all seem to move in rhythm.
The Kelly farm has had an interesting journey to where it is today, an island of excellence overlooking Lough Derg.
It is a model of resilience, innovation, and family dedication, representing the very best of the Irish dairy sector and a place any consumer would be proud to see as the source of their milk.
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