Tipperary's Patrick Brennan is crowned Dairy Farmer of the Year

Tipperary farmer Patrick Brennan has been named as winner at the nationwide Zurich Insurance Farmer of the Year Awards.

The awards featured six categories, including dairy, beef, tillage, sheep, rising star and farm safety, as well as a lifetime achievement award.

Patrick Brennan from Ballingarry, Roscrea, was crowned Dairy Farmer of the Year, while Gillian O’Sullivan from County Waterford took home the gold, receiving the Grand Prix 2018 Farmer of the Year Award, the title prize at the annual Zurich Insurance sponsored awards.

Having overcome tough competition to take home the top accolades, this year’s Dairy Farmer of the Year, Patrick, was presented with a cash prize of €2,000 at the awards ceremony along with other category winners for their achievements.

Patrick milks 204 cows near Ballingarry, Roscrea. He farms 200 acres at home and the remainder is divided into four lots several miles from home.

Patrick has a spring calving herd.

Calves are kept until one year and then sold on for fattening. All grass is measured, and cows with calves are out on grass by day in early February.

Following studies in Gurteen Agricultural College in 1978, Patrick commenced with 23 cows in 1981. He maintains links with Gurteen by taking students on placement each year.

The Farm Relief Services (FRS) uses Patrick's farm for practical elements of their Training to Milk courses.

Patrick, who has won a Bord Bia award for Sustainable Dairying, is also a director of Arrabawn Co-Op

He lives on the farm with his wife Helen. Their youngest child, Padraig, is studying a Dairy Business degree course in UCD and plans to come home to farm.

The Zurich Farm Insurance Farming Independent Farmer of the Year Awards are now in their fifth year and aim to shine a light on one of the most successful and important sectors within the Irish economy.

Presented by Ear to The Ground’s Helen Carroll, Thursday night in Athlone saw 180 people come together to recognise excellence in all areas of the Irish farming industry.

Graham Minogue, head of agri-sales for Zurich Insurance, said that as an insurer of Irish farms, the company was proud to sponsor the awards that were designed to recognise and celebrate excellence across a wide range of farming categories and to reward Ireland’s farmers for the challenging, important work they do and their contribution to their communities and to wider Irish society.

He said that the winners had set themselves apart in their categories and Zurich was proud to help recognise their accomplishments.