The awards celebrate the excellent contribution made by dairy farmers to produce safe, nutritious and high-quality milk, which is enjoyed by consumers in Ireland and across the world.

The award ceremony is a key fixture in the calendar, and the winners get to take home the cup and be ambassadors for Irish dairying for the following 12 months.

The current winners, the Ryan family from Tipperary, recently held an open day on their farm, where they welcomed visitors from all over the country, to showcase the type of on-farm practices and attention to detail that Irish dairy farmers have used to produce premium dairy products.

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Paddy Daly, chair of Centenary Thurles, with host farmers Michael, Mary and Tom Ryan.

This year, the nominees from each co-op have been narrowed down to a shortlist of 12 exceptional farming families, who represent their co-ops.

The representatives are:

  • Arratipp Co-op – Breen Farm, Gorteen, Co Tipperary.
  • Aurivo Co-op – Kelly Farm, Ballyarrell, Co Donegal.
  • Bandon Co-op – Kelleher Farm, Tullyland, Co Cork.
  • Barryroe Co-op – Kirby Farm, Ballinascarty, Co Cork.
  • Centenary Co-op – Campion Farm, Graigue, Co Tipperary.
  • Dairygold Co-op – Carroll Farm, Coolrus, Co Limerick.
  • Drinagh Co-op – O’Donoghue Farm, Maulatrahane, Co Cork.
  • Kinisla – Troy Farm, Newtownshandrum, Co Cork .
  • Lakeland Dairies – Loughrey Farm, Multyfarnham, Co Westmeath.
  • Lisavaird Co-op – Buttimer Farm, Lyre, Co Cork.
  • North Cork Creameries – Dennehy Farm, Kilbrin, Co Cork.
  • Tirlán – Fitzgerald Farm, Portlaw, Co Waterford.

    • The awards judges are three stalwarts of the Irish dairy industry: Professor Karina Pierce, UCD; Professor Patrick Wall, UCD; and Dr. David Gleeson.

    All three have visited all of the farms and have the unenviable task of choosing the winners of the award ceremony on 30 September 2026.

    Congratulations to all those involved in the awards.