I farm: “Approximately 200 acres, some of which is rented. I have a block of land at the home farm and two outfarms.”

Beef: “I keep 60 Belgian Blue and Simmental two-year-old calves to beef. I’ve been decreasing the numbers of beef cattle in recent years as I’m caught for space for dairy, so I will sell off some of the cattle before the winter.”

Dairy: “I’ve increased my herd from 50 to 80 over the last few years, increasing the herd by 10 each year. I bring 20 replacement heifers into the herd each year. It’s a spring-calving herd. I sell the milk to Glanbia.”

Performance: “Protein was up this year to 3.64% with fat of 4.28%. I did an AI course a few years ago so I do all of my own AI for the first three to six weeks in the year. I have a Friesian and a Simmental bull who run with the heifers and do the sweeping up in the herd.”

This week: “I harvested the 10 acres of corn on the farm and also 30 acres for a neighbour. Tillage for me is more of a hobby at this stage. It was my late father’s passion and enterprise. It yielded 2.75t an acre so the harvest hasn’t gone too bad.”

Family: “There’s my wife Claire and our three children, Olivia who’s nearly six, Richie, four, and Michael, two. The kids love being on the farm and learning about it, but safety is a constant concern with living next to it.”

All-Ireland: “It’ll be a good close game and it will more than likely go to the team with the most hunger on the day. I played with Kilkenny from 2002 to 2008 . I have five senior all-Ireland medals.”

Quotable quote: “If the milk price goes any lower people will have no choice but to get out of dairy. A price of 32c/l would keep everyone happy – both the processors and farmers. Being at 23c/l is not profitable for farmers and those with high borrowings are under serious pressure.”