Tipperary farm family set to open their doors to the public for special event

An award-winning Tipperary farm are set to open their doors to the public for an informative evening on the farm to learn about sustainable dairy farming.

John, Maria and Brendan Walsh, the family who are leading the way in running a sustainable dairy farm, and won the 2024 Teagasc/FBD Environmental Sustainability Award.

Now, the Walsh family are set to open their Ballylooby farm to the public to see.

A National Farm Walk on the farm of John and Brendan Walsh, has been organised by Teagasc, FBD and Dairygold, and all are welcome to attend.

Dairying at Dusk, will take place on Tuesday, June 10 at 6.30pm at their family farm at Ballylooby, County Tipperary.

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This event will be of interest to the general public, non-farming families as well as farming families.

The Walsh family's win in the competition was based on four key sustainability pillars. The Walsh’s are running a highly efficient and profitable dairy operation. They have adopted smarter ways to grow grass without compromising on grass yield to feed the cows.   

Biodiversity is a long-standing priority on the Walsh farm, dating back generations. Hedges are managed to promote growth and diversity, with whitethorns allowed to flourish every 50 metres.

The risk to water quality has been significantly reduced by reducing the surplus nitrogen on the farm with their surplus nitrogen being almost half the national average.

Speaking in advance of the walk, Brendan and John Walsh said: “We are looking forward to welcoming the general public to their farm and showing what we and other farmers across the country are doing to improve environmental sustainability. Our message to other farmers is: start small, seek good advice, and don’t fear failure.”

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Dr Siobhan Kavanagh, Teagasc Signpost programme and chair of the judging panel highlighted that the Walsh’s success story is not just about awards, but about building a resilient and environmentally responsible future for Irish farming.

"John and Brendan are passionate about making a good living from farming but also looking after the environment. Their story shows that you can farm profitable while also looking after nature," she added.

Dairying at Dusk takes place on Tuesday, June 10 at 6.30pm at the Walsh family farm.