Emma Birchall, GP and Macra board chair
Emma Birchall, GP and chair of the board of Macra.
Having recently been appointed as chair of the Macra national board, Kildare-based Emma Birchall is also a graduate of medicine, working on the GP scheme.
“I have a keen interest in the health of those living and working in rural Ireland and, in particular, farmers, who have a habit of taking amazing care of their animals, but can at times neglect their own health,” says Emma.
Emma lives with her husband David and their daughter Áine on a drystock and tillage farm. She caught the ‘Macra bug’ after being crowned the winner of Queen of the Land Festival in 2017.
She then took on roles within her local club before getting involved at a national level. Emma was appointed chair of the board last year and is passionate about promoting agriculture and young farmers.
“In a time where agriculture is undergoing so many changes, in particular with regards to CAP, now more than ever, young people who want to live and work in rural Ireland need to stand up and have their voices heard.
"Effective generational renewal is something we in Macra are striving towards, and this includes both agriculture and rural communities. Without rural development and investment in the agricultural sector, we will see the loss of the small local towns and villages, and young people will have no choice but to leave,” she says.
@macra
Anna Downey, dairy farmer and agri influencer
Anna Downey, agri influencer and dairy farmer.
Growing up on a dairy farm in Co Down meant Anna Downey developed a love for animals and tractors from a young age.
“Over time, the interest never left. They always say you’re born to farm, it’s just in you,” she explains.
Anna decided to study agriculture and completed a course in nutrient science and business before going on to do a sustainable agriculture degree in Ulster.
Last year, she decided to leave her job in the industry and work full-time at home.
“It was the best decision I ever made. Now, I would do any job on the farm, including most of the milkings, diet feeding and calf rearing.
"Then when the summer months come in, I am busy drawing silage, sowing fertiliser, grassland management and slurry,” says Anna.
She has built a social media following, with 49,000 on TikTok, and uses her platform to promote agriculture to young people.
“I think it’s always been frowned upon, as in 'oh, you're just a farmer', when in reality it takes brains to farm and it should be seen as a profession by both schools and other professionals.
"In a world where AI is taking over, it will never take over farmers and there will always be careers for young people,” she says.
@annadowney6
Shannon Porter, dairy farmer and owner of The Milk Bar
Shannon Porter, dairy farmer and owner of The Milk Bar.
Donegal native Shannon Porter is no stranger to the Irish Farmers Journal - in 2022, she featured for her new on-farm milk vending machine ‘The Milk Bar’. Four years later, she recently quit her full-time job and has diversified the business further.
“Over the last four and a half years, my business has grown far beyond what I first imagined. When I originally set it up, all I had was a single milk-vending machine on the home farm.
"Two years later, I introduced homemade ice cream to the business. This was a major turning point. The ice cream quickly became a great success. As more people discovered our products, local coffee shops and restaurants began approaching me, wanting to stock our milk and ice cream,” says Shannon.
The wholesale side of the business has grown substantially, with Shannon now opening the farm for school tours and educational visits.
“As someone who is dyslexic, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to learn purely from books.
"I had to work incredibly hard to get where I am today. Visual learning has always helped me far more and I know many students learn the same way.
"Offering them the chance to see farming and food production in real life is something I’m very proud of,” says Shannon.
@TheMilkBar
Coleen Dunne, owner of Cake Bake Shed, Kilcullen
Colleen Dunne, owner of Cake Bake Shed, Kilcullen.
Mum-of-two Coleen Dunne is working full-time for her dad Henry Talt, managing his garage while building her Cake Bake Shed business.
In October 2025, Coleen set up the Cake Bake Shed in memory of her aunt Siobhán, who passed away from breast cancer at the age of 55.
“It was Siobhán’s second time to be diagnosed with breast cancer, but, unfortunately, it had spread. Even with a diagnosis like that, she was never a negative person; she just got on with it. She lost her husband when she was in the midst of her treatment, so it wasn’t easy on her,” says Coleen.
Siobhán trained as a chef and worked in a kitchen all her life.
“You could call at Siobhan’s house any time of the week and there were always freshly baked goods. Unfortunately, Siobhan passed away quite suddenly in the end in October 2024 and it was devastating for us all.
"She taught me to bake from a young age and I inherited her love of baking. Siobhán passed on her handwritten recipe book and I didn’t want them to die with her. So the cake shed was created to spread her amazing recipes,” says Coleen.
The local community have been a big support for Coleen, and her business is going from strength to strength, with her shed selling out most weekends.
@cakebakeshed
Tara Carroll, Godolphin Flying Start programme
Tara Carroll, Godolphin Flying Start programme.
Originally from Co Meath, Tara had a keen interest in sports and spent most of her time outdoors. With no equestrian background, she has found the industry to be incredibly welcoming.
Spending her weekends eventing and competing with her pony club, Tara went on to study agricultural science, specialising in equine, at University College Dublin.
“As part of the course, I completed a placement at Springhouse Farm in Kentucky USA, working for Spider and Aisling Duignan, which provided valuable insight into the breeding and commercial side of the industry,” says Tara.
After college, Tara worked as a pupil assistant to trainer Francis-Henri Graffard in Chantilly, France. Last year, Tara was awarded the Gerry Dilger Scholarship for the Irish National Stud thoroughbred breeding and management course in Kildare.
Tara is currently on the Godolphin Flying Start programme, which is an international leadership and management course that combines academic study with practical placements across major racing and breeding jurisdictions worldwide.
“Promoting equine and agricultural careers to young people is important because many don’t realise how broad and diverse the opportunities within the industry are. There is often a perception that these careers are limited to hands-on roles, when in reality there are pathways both in Ireland and internationally,” she says.
Emma Birchall, GP and Macra board chair
Emma Birchall, GP and chair of the board of Macra.
Having recently been appointed as chair of the Macra national board, Kildare-based Emma Birchall is also a graduate of medicine, working on the GP scheme.
“I have a keen interest in the health of those living and working in rural Ireland and, in particular, farmers, who have a habit of taking amazing care of their animals, but can at times neglect their own health,” says Emma.
Emma lives with her husband David and their daughter Áine on a drystock and tillage farm. She caught the ‘Macra bug’ after being crowned the winner of Queen of the Land Festival in 2017.
She then took on roles within her local club before getting involved at a national level. Emma was appointed chair of the board last year and is passionate about promoting agriculture and young farmers.
“In a time where agriculture is undergoing so many changes, in particular with regards to CAP, now more than ever, young people who want to live and work in rural Ireland need to stand up and have their voices heard.
"Effective generational renewal is something we in Macra are striving towards, and this includes both agriculture and rural communities. Without rural development and investment in the agricultural sector, we will see the loss of the small local towns and villages, and young people will have no choice but to leave,” she says.
@macra
Anna Downey, dairy farmer and agri influencer
Anna Downey, agri influencer and dairy farmer.
Growing up on a dairy farm in Co Down meant Anna Downey developed a love for animals and tractors from a young age.
“Over time, the interest never left. They always say you’re born to farm, it’s just in you,” she explains.
Anna decided to study agriculture and completed a course in nutrient science and business before going on to do a sustainable agriculture degree in Ulster.
Last year, she decided to leave her job in the industry and work full-time at home.
“It was the best decision I ever made. Now, I would do any job on the farm, including most of the milkings, diet feeding and calf rearing.
"Then when the summer months come in, I am busy drawing silage, sowing fertiliser, grassland management and slurry,” says Anna.
She has built a social media following, with 49,000 on TikTok, and uses her platform to promote agriculture to young people.
“I think it’s always been frowned upon, as in 'oh, you're just a farmer', when in reality it takes brains to farm and it should be seen as a profession by both schools and other professionals.
"In a world where AI is taking over, it will never take over farmers and there will always be careers for young people,” she says.
@annadowney6
Shannon Porter, dairy farmer and owner of The Milk Bar
Shannon Porter, dairy farmer and owner of The Milk Bar.
Donegal native Shannon Porter is no stranger to the Irish Farmers Journal - in 2022, she featured for her new on-farm milk vending machine ‘The Milk Bar’. Four years later, she recently quit her full-time job and has diversified the business further.
“Over the last four and a half years, my business has grown far beyond what I first imagined. When I originally set it up, all I had was a single milk-vending machine on the home farm.
"Two years later, I introduced homemade ice cream to the business. This was a major turning point. The ice cream quickly became a great success. As more people discovered our products, local coffee shops and restaurants began approaching me, wanting to stock our milk and ice cream,” says Shannon.
The wholesale side of the business has grown substantially, with Shannon now opening the farm for school tours and educational visits.
“As someone who is dyslexic, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to learn purely from books.
"I had to work incredibly hard to get where I am today. Visual learning has always helped me far more and I know many students learn the same way.
"Offering them the chance to see farming and food production in real life is something I’m very proud of,” says Shannon.
@TheMilkBar
Coleen Dunne, owner of Cake Bake Shed, Kilcullen
Colleen Dunne, owner of Cake Bake Shed, Kilcullen.
Mum-of-two Coleen Dunne is working full-time for her dad Henry Talt, managing his garage while building her Cake Bake Shed business.
In October 2025, Coleen set up the Cake Bake Shed in memory of her aunt Siobhán, who passed away from breast cancer at the age of 55.
“It was Siobhán’s second time to be diagnosed with breast cancer, but, unfortunately, it had spread. Even with a diagnosis like that, she was never a negative person; she just got on with it. She lost her husband when she was in the midst of her treatment, so it wasn’t easy on her,” says Coleen.
Siobhán trained as a chef and worked in a kitchen all her life.
“You could call at Siobhan’s house any time of the week and there were always freshly baked goods. Unfortunately, Siobhan passed away quite suddenly in the end in October 2024 and it was devastating for us all.
"She taught me to bake from a young age and I inherited her love of baking. Siobhán passed on her handwritten recipe book and I didn’t want them to die with her. So the cake shed was created to spread her amazing recipes,” says Coleen.
The local community have been a big support for Coleen, and her business is going from strength to strength, with her shed selling out most weekends.
@cakebakeshed
Tara Carroll, Godolphin Flying Start programme
Tara Carroll, Godolphin Flying Start programme.
Originally from Co Meath, Tara had a keen interest in sports and spent most of her time outdoors. With no equestrian background, she has found the industry to be incredibly welcoming.
Spending her weekends eventing and competing with her pony club, Tara went on to study agricultural science, specialising in equine, at University College Dublin.
“As part of the course, I completed a placement at Springhouse Farm in Kentucky USA, working for Spider and Aisling Duignan, which provided valuable insight into the breeding and commercial side of the industry,” says Tara.
After college, Tara worked as a pupil assistant to trainer Francis-Henri Graffard in Chantilly, France. Last year, Tara was awarded the Gerry Dilger Scholarship for the Irish National Stud thoroughbred breeding and management course in Kildare.
Tara is currently on the Godolphin Flying Start programme, which is an international leadership and management course that combines academic study with practical placements across major racing and breeding jurisdictions worldwide.
“Promoting equine and agricultural careers to young people is important because many don’t realise how broad and diverse the opportunities within the industry are. There is often a perception that these careers are limited to hands-on roles, when in reality there are pathways both in Ireland and internationally,” she says.
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