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Meet the winners of the Tirlán Quality Grain Awards 2025
The country’s top tillage farmers were celebrated on Tuesday 10th of February as the winners of the Tirlán Quality Grain Awards 2025 were announced at events in Co Cork’s Castlemartyr Resort and Midleton Distillery Experience.
The awards recognise the very best of Tirlán’s grain suppliers and celebrate excellence across barley, wheat, oats, beans and oilseed rape. Twelve category winners were recognised for producing crops of outstanding quality in 2025.
Grain Grower of the Year
Bobby and Denise Miller, growers from Rathmore, Stradbally, Co. Laois, was crowned Grain Grower of the Year. His exceptional attention to detail, strong technical standards and consistent delivery of premium-quality gluten free oats secured him both the top honour and the Food Grade Oats category award.
WINTER ROASTING BARLEY
Clive Bayley, Ballickmoyler, Carlow
Clive & Lynn Bayley farms a wide range of crops on both owned and leased land in Ballickmoyler, just a few kilometres from Carlow town. Each year, he grows approximately 40 hectares of fodder beet and 10 hectares of maize. These, along with break crops such as oilseed rape and beans, provide an ideal entry for premium grain crops including gluten-free oats, basic seed, and winter roasting barley.
Clive aims to sow as high a proportion of winter cereals as possible, as establishing large areas of forage crops in spring places significant demands on labour and time.
Clive is married to Lynn and they have one son, Stephen, who is currently studying Sports Science in Maynooth University but helps out on the farm when available. Clive’s father Melvin is still heavily involved in the farming operation and is the main haulier of grain and beet off the farm!
The Bayleys’ Tirlán agronomist is Donal Moloney.
MALTING BARLEY
John Hosford, Clykeel Enterprises, Rathcormac, Co. Cork.
John and Colette Hosford operate a mixed tillage and beef enterprise at Clykeel near Rathcormac in Co. Cork. The couple have three children. The main crops grown on the farm are winter and spring barley with forage rape entering the rotation on occasion. All crops are sown after ploughing.
John has consistently grown excellent crops of malting barley over a long number of years with today’s winning crop highlighting this consistency and his attention to detail. In recent years, John has applied manganese in liquid form to his barley crops and incorporated additional sulphur and manganese with his fertiliser and has seen very positive benefits for both yield and quality. Some of the straw produced each year is chopped and incorporated back into the soil with the balance being kept for bedding cattle.
The Hosfords’ Tirlán agronomist is Paul McKevitt.
PREMIUM SPRING BARLEY
Rosnolvan Farm Partnership, Belan, Moone, Co. Kildare
Rosnolvan Farm Partnership is operated by Roy Coyle, his wife Frieda and their son Robert; Robert is married to Nancy who is also here today. The Coyles’ farm, located near Moone in Co. Kildare, is comprised of about 250 acres and is devoted entirely to tillage. The preference each year is to sow a substantial proportion of winter crops, predominantly winter barley with smaller quantities on winter wheat and winter oats. The only crops generally sown in spring are spring barley and forage maize which is contracted to two local livestock farmers.
All crops are sown after ploughing. Organic manures are used on the farm in the form of farmyard manure and slurry imported from local livestock farmers and also some chicken litter.
The Coyles also operate an agricultural contracting business.
The Coyles’ Tirlán agronomist is Seán Boland.
GREEN FEED BARLEY
Kieran O’Neill, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.
Kieran and Maureen O’Neill farm at Mount Odell, close to Dungarvan in Co. Waterford. The ground has been in tillage for 45 years. The rotation employed is simply a mix of winter and spring barley. The soil in this area is very light and Kieran sees a significant benefit from adding manganese and Epsom salts to his tank mixes. The straw produced is always baled, except on the headlands where Kieran finds that straw incorporation is beneficial to crop yield. Kieran previously worked in the Waterford and East Cork areas as an agronomist for Tirlán (then Glanbia. Kieran has a wealth of knowledge on crop nutrition and agronomy and growers in the area still talk about him and appreciate the advice he gave.
The O’Neills’ Tirlán agronomist is Paul McKevitt.
DRIED FEED GRAIN
Gary Pearson, Hillfield Farm, Rathangan, Co. Kildare.
Gary Pearson operates a tillage-only enterprise at Hillfield Farm near Rathangan in Co. Kildare. The aim each year is to sow as much of the area as possible in the autumn to crops such as winter oilseed rape, winter wheat, winter barley and winter oats. Maize and feed beans are generally the only spring crops sown on the farm; the maize is contracted to local livestock producers. Almost all crops are sown using min-till cultivation.
A substantial quantity of organic manures, particularly pig slurry and chicken litter are used on the farm. Cover crops are also sown in early autumn where possible.
Gary dries and stores most of the grain produced on the farm and sells at various stages post-harvest.
Gary’s Tirlán agronomist is Peter O’Grady.
SEED BARLEY
Eugene Ryan, Ballycarroll, Portlaoise, Co. Laois
Eugene Ryan operates a mixed enterprise farm at Ballycarroll, located between The Heath and the Rock of Dunamaise in the heart of county Laois. The main crops grown on the farm include winter wheat, winter barley, winter oilseed rape, spring barley and spring beans. Eugene has strongly adopted the use of cover crops over the years and has noticed significant benefits; his farm has previously been used to generate cover crop data as part of Teagasc-funded trial work.
The cultivation system employed on the farm includes a combination of ploughing and minimum tillage. The farm also carries some drystock and Eugene operates an agricultural contracting business. Farming in a sustainable manner is a hallmark of this operation.
Eugene is married to Eimear, a teacher, and they have three children, Eoghan, Hannah and Kate. Eugene’s father Hugh, who is 95, and mother Maureen still help out on this true “family” farm.
The Ryans’ Tirlán agronomist is Andy O’Donnell.
GREEN FEED WHEAT
Seamus Grace, Kiltorcan, Ballyhale, Co. Kilkenny
Seamus and Caroline Grace operate a tillage enterprise on good quality free draining soil just outside Ballyhale in Co. Kilkenny. All crops on the farm are established using a plough and one pass system. Seamus places a strong focus on crop rotation; winter wheat, winter barley and oats are grown on the farm with the strategic use of the break crop spring beans used to maximise grass weed control and reduce soil borne diseases, ensuring the long-term viability of the farm.
The Graces’ Tirlan agronomist is Joe Delaney.
SEED WHEAT
Padraig Kehoe, The Ballagh, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
Padraig Kehoe farms 200 hectares of land at The Ballagh just outside Enniscorthy in Co, Wexford. The whole farm is in tillage crops at present. Soil type is mainly a medium/heavy loam with some heavier clay soils being farmed also.
The main cereal crops grown are winter wheat, winter barley and spring malting barley. Padraig also grows a range of break crops such as feed oats, oilseed rape and feed beans; the break crops are very important for his rotation and the oilseed rape and beans crops allow entry for higher value seed crops.
Over the past number of years a substantial portion of the wheat acreage has been grown on contract for Tirlán for seed production. Minimum tillage is used for crop establishment where the aim is to improve soil structure along with reducing establishment costs.
In recent years, Padraig has embraced precision farming technology which allows for variable rate application of fertiliser and agrochemicals where required.
The Kehoes’ Tirlán agronomist is Ed Prendergast.
FOOD GRADE OATS
Bobby Miller, Rathmore, Stradbally, Co. Laois
Bobby and Denise Miller farm a combination of owned and rented land at Rathmore, near Stradbally in Co. Laois. Crops grown on the farm include winter oilseed rape, winter barley, gluten free oats and spring malting barley, all as part of a 5-year rotation. While many of the crops on the farm are still established using a plough-based system, Bobby has increased the level of minimum tillage employed on the farm in recent years. The use of organic manures on the farm has also increased to provide a significant proportion of total nutrients used. Bobby will be known to many growers as a founding member of the Irish Grain Growers Group and though no longer the chairman, he is still heavily involved in the Group’s activities. Attention to detail is a hallmark of Bobby’s farming system and this shines through in the quality and yield of crops produced. Bobby is married to Denise, a nurse, and they have 2 children.
Bobby’s Tirlán agronomist is Barry Purcell.
FEED OATS
Martin McDonald, Templenacrow, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
Martin and Breda McDonald operate a mixed dairy and tillage enterprise on a combination of owned and rented land at Templenacrow, outside Enniscorthy in Co. Wexford. The tillage enterprise is comprised of approximately 100 acres, of which about 25 acres are sown to oats in Autumn with the remainder planted to spring barley. Autumn-sown oats have been grown for years on this farm and is favoured for its earliness of Harvest and Crop rotation purposes.
The McDonalds supply milk to Tirlán on a year-round basis with calving occurring on the farm in November/December and again in February/March. Calves produced from the dairy herd are also reared on the farm.
Martin and Breda’s three grown-up sons, Tom, Podge and Liam operate “McDonald Brothers Hauliers” business and transport goods across the Southeast, including milk collection for Tirlán.
Martin’s mother Bridget still takes a big interest in farming activities and with plenty of help from grandchildren, it makes for a busy farmyard and household!
The McDonalds’ Tirlán agronomist is Ed Prendergast.
GREEN FEED BEANS
Martin McDonald, Templenacrow, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
Martin and Breda McDonald operate a mixed dairy and tillage enterprise on a combination of owned and rented land at Templenacrow, outside Enniscorthy in Co. Wexford. The tillage enterprise is comprised of approximately 100 acres, of which about 25 acres are sown to oats in Autumn with the remainder planted to spring barley. Autumn-sown oats have been grown for years on this farm and is favoured for its earliness of Harvest and Crop rotation purposes.
The McDonalds supply milk to Tirlán on a year-round basis with calving occurring on the farm in November/December and again in February/March. Calves produced from the dairy herd are also reared on the farm.
Martin and Breda’s three grown-up sons, Tom, Podge and Liam operate “McDonald Brothers Hauliers” business and transport goods across the Southeast, including milk collection for Tirlán.
Martin’s mother Bridget still takes a big interest in farming activities and with plenty of help from grandchildren, it makes for a busy farmyard and household!
The McDonalds’ Tirlán agronomist is Ed Prendergast.
GREEN FEED BEANS
Ger Leahy, Newtownadam Farm, Cahir, Co. Tipperary
Ger and Niamh Leahy operate an intensive tillage farm at Newtownadam, just outside Cahir in Co. Tipperary, home of the current All-Ireland hurling champions. Ger grows a wide range of crops including oilseed rape, winter wheat, winter barley, oats, rye and spring malting barley.
All crops are sown using a plough and one-pass system. The farm employs one full-time worker and Ger drafts in additional labour for the busy harvest period. Ger’s son Sean, who is currently in 3rd year studying Agricultural Science in UCD, also helps out on the farm at weekends and during the summer months.
The Leahys’ Tirlán agronomist is Joe Delaney.