The farm: ”I farm alongside my mother, Patricia. She inherited her uncle’s farm here in Ballinasloe in 2000 and that’s where we farm today. We keep 20 pedigree Aberdeen Angus cows and eight pedigree Kerry cows which we have only got into in the past two years.”

Aberdeen Angus: ”I got into Angus cattle in 2006. We were previously running cross-bred Charolais and Limousin cattle but they were just too difficult to handle. We had been going to a few agricultural shows, just as outings, and I got very taken by the Aberdeen Angus. We needed cattle that were a bit better able to manage the land as it’s not the kind of land you could put big heavy cattle on.”

Kerry cows: “We initially got them to do embryo transfers but we decided to breed them instead. We have been getting on mighty with them. They will go in-calf first time, they are really fertile heifers and the calves will suck themselves. We have actually been milking them for the house as well. We haven’t bought milk since the first cow calved. Because they are an endangered breed there are grants that can be got for keeping them.”

Irish Aberdeen Angus Association: “I have taken on the role as general manager of the Irish Aberdeen Angus Association. Due to Brexit, we are no longer affiliated with the UK society. I am one week in the job at the moment and I am just getting up to speed on things.”

Brexit: “We are still going to be affiliated with Scotland and we are going to be working alongside them with our youth development and our breeding programmes. Just because our relationship has had to terminate in one way because of Brexit, we are still going to be aligned with them.”

Showing cattle: ”If you are serious about getting into showing, get good foundation stock. You get what you pay for starting out. Ask questions – one common thing that the association has is that we all love the breed and we will all help out.”

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Irish Aberdeen Angus Association appoints new general manager