We farm: Just over 70ac in Drangan, Thurles, Co Tipperary, which is my home place, and also in Galway, where my wife Áine’s mother was born. We keep drystock in Galway and I go up weekly.

The flock: “We keep around 160 ewes, mainly crossbred lowland breeds and a small number of pedigree registered Polled Dorset ewes. The crossbreds lamb down mid-season in late February and the pedigrees are early lambing.”

Finishing: “We finish all lambs, with most going to Kildare Chilling.”

Direct selling: “Around 20% of our lambs are sold directly to local customers. We use a local craft butcher, John O’Dwyer in Killenaule, who kills and boxes the lamb so that it’s freezer-ready.”

Sucklers: “We keep 15 sucklers, second crosses out of dairy-type cows. I use all AI on them, mainly Limousin bulls. This year I’m going to finish them all for the first time. Calving will begin in the third week of February.”

Ground: “Our land is wettish, so since we took over the farm around 11 years ago we’ve been very focused on saving grass over the winter and making better quality silage. We house everything usually by 1 December so the ewes lamb indoors and then go out to grass.”

Family: Áine and I have three children: Bobby (five), Cáit (four) and Donncha (two). My parents Tom and Eileen are a great help with the farm.

The twittersphere: “I help run the @IrelandsFarmers Twitter account, which is curated by a different farmer every week. It gives a great insight into ways of thinking.”

Challenges: “Mercosur, Brexit and weather are all coming down the track at us but Brexit especially is a huge challenge.”

Quotable quote: “One of the most positive things about farming for me is the ability to eat your own meat. It’s a lovely thing to be able to feed your own family on meat that was reared literally on their doorstep.”

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