Caroline O Neill Walsh, Crohane, Ballinascarthy, Co Cork. \ Donal O Leary
The 2020 Grassland Farmer of the Year is Caroline Walsh from Ballinscarthy in west Cork. Caroline won the dairy award and the overall award for top performance in grassland management. She milked 72 cows in 2020 and grew 14.2tDM/ha.
Originally from Ballinadee near Bandon, she is married to Joe, an agricultural contractor and they have five children. Caroline s dairy career started in 2009 when she was awarded new entrant milk quota and leased a farm to milk 40 cows. The couple converted Joe’s home farm to dairy in 2014 and Caroline’s herd was moved there in 2015.