Limerick father and son take home overall Dairygold award
Michael Carroll from Granagh, Co. Limerick, and his father Martin were named Overall Winners of the 2025 Dairygold Milk Quality and Sustainability Awards.
The farming duo also received the Limerick Regional Award at the awards ceremony in Springfort Hall, Mallow, Co. Cork on yesterday (May 21).
A total of 18 finalists across a range of categories and regions were awarded for their achievements in “delivering high-quality milk and implementing sustainable farming practices”.
Overall winners
Dairygold said that overall winners Michael and his father Martin Carroll “combine a strong family tradition with a progressive approach to dairy farming" on their farm.
The judges highlighted that Michael and Martin have together “established a high-performing dairy enterprise built on strong foundations of milk quality, efficiency and sustainability”.
Judges also praised their “attention to detail”, saying that their “willingness to adopt best practice is evident across all aspects of the farm”.
“A strong focus on clover incorporation, efficient nutrient management and consistent reseeding has underpinned the development of a resilient and productive system”.
After receiving the Overall Winner award, Michael Carroll said: “It is lovely to have the judges visit the farm, look around and appreciate all of the hard work that you do.
“We get such enjoyment out of the farm and we are very proud of it. It is lovely to get this recognition and the award means an awful lot to the family.”
Irish dairying
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said: “The strength of Irish dairying continues to be built on the professionalism, resilience and commitment of our farming families.
“The standards showcased through these awards are among the very best in the world, reflecting a deep-rooted focus on quality, sustainability and continuous improvement.
“Our farmers are operating in a period of enormous change whether that is from market volatility, the ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and rising input costs, to climate challenges and environmental pressures.
“What gives me real confidence in the future of the sector is the leadership being shown by farmers, who continue to adapt, innovate and respond to the challenges facing Irish agriculture.”
Dairygold chairperson Pat Clancy said: “These awards are an important opportunity to recognise the hard work, dedication and consistency of our milk suppliers.
“The standards we continue to see across our farming base are a credit to our members and are central to the success of our co-op.
“Farmers like our award-winners are demonstrating what can be achieved through a clear focus on quality, sustainability and continuous improvement.”
Dairygold chief executive Michael Harte congratulated all the winners.
He said: “Our award-winners clearly demonstrate how a progressive approach to farming, combined with strong technical performance, can deliver a high-quality and sustainable farming enterprise.
“It is very encouraging and inspiring to see the continued adoption of sustainable practices across our milk supplier base, which is critical to meeting customer and regulatory expectations and ensuring the long-term success of Dairygold and the wider Irish dairy industry.”
Awards
Dairygold said that the awards “showcase the ongoing commitment of Dairygold’s milk suppliers to delivering high-quality milk while advancing sustainable farming practices”.
“This year’s winners reflect the strong progress being made across the co-op, with increased adoption of measures to improve efficiency, enhance biodiversity and protect water quality.”
Regional winners were:
- Don Whelan, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork (Mitchelstown Regional Winner);
- Jim, Brid and James A. Browne, Ballygarvan, Co. Cork (East Cork Regional Winner);
- Michael and Martin Carroll, Granagh, Co. Limerick (Limerick Regional Winner);
- Eamonn Morrissey, Ballylooby, Co. Tipperary (Tipperary Regional Winner);
- Kieran and Colm Kennedy, Buttevant, Co. Cork (Mallow Regional Winner, and Second Overall Winner);
- Richard, Helen and Gearoid Hinchion, Crookstown, Co. Cork (Mid Cork Regional Winner, also Third Overall Winner).
In addition to Regional Category winners, there were a number of special categories.
These included the Grassroots Sustainability Award Winner John Canty from Bandon, Co. Cork.
The Special Recognition Award for their Engineering Innovation on Farm, went to Edward and Neil Quinlan, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork; while the Pathways Young Dairy Farmer Award went to Gavin O’Donoghue, from Crecora, Co. Limerick.
The awards were based on milk quality performance and sustainability criteria assessed across Dairygold’s 2,400 milk suppliers.
