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Popular local young farmer Mr Thomas Dwan, aged 26, together with his parents Eddie and Ann, latter residing on their 105-cow farm at Bohernamona Road, Thurles, Co Tipperary have won this year’s National Dairy Council (NDC) and Kerrygold Quality Milk Award.
The eco-friendly Thurles farming family were presented with their €5,000 first prize and the national perpetual trophy by Kilkenny hurling legend and ten times All Ireland hurling champion Henry Shefflin, at the national awards ceremony held in Dublin’s RDS yesterday.
Speaking at the ceremony, Thomas stated that it was a proud moment for all of his family; and he was particularly delighted to bring a national trophy back to his home town of Thurles.
Eddie (father) and Thomas Dwan (son) work as a team with all of their milk from the farm being purchased by Centenary Co-Op Creamery here in Thurles.
Other National Finalists from Tipperary commemorated at this awards ceremony were: Mr Michéal Crowe & family, Parkroe, Cappawhite, Co. Tipperary (Tipperary Co-op) and Eoin Toohey, Cullenwaine, Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary, (Arrabawn Co-op), which demonstrates the high quality of milk currently being produced here in Ireland within the Premier County.
  
 Mr Justice Michael Peart yesterday granted an ex parte application for leave to bring a judicial review in a High Court challenge brought against An Bord Pleanála in the granting of planning permission for a Wind Farm here in Co Tipperary.
Mr Edward Buckley, Gurtnara, Upperchurch, Thurles, Co Tipperary and Ms Edel Grace, Grousehall, Milestone, Thurles, Co Tipperary have sought the judicial review following the granting of permission for this proposed development at Upperchurch, Thurles, Co Tipperary.
The permission had been previously granted for 22 turbines, with a hub height of 81.6m and an overall height of 126.6m, together with an access road and buildings.
In these proceedings taken against An Bord Pleanála, Mr Buckley and Ms Grace requested orders quashing the boards decision of August 12th last, latter which granted a ten year permission period to Ecopower to install and run the proposed Wind Farm.
Both applicants claim that An Bord Pleanála acted outside of their powers and are therefore in breach of the provisions of the 2000 Planning and Development Act and the EU Council Habitats Directive of 1992. In moving this application, Mr David Browne BL stated that the challenge was brought on grounds that permission was granted after Mr Buckley having withdrawn his written consent for his lands to be used as part of this proposed development. It was understood that this proposed development had required Mr Buckley’s lands to gain an access road at Knocknameena, Upperchurch, Mr Browne stated.
Both applicants argued that this decision had breached EU directives on the conservation of natural habitats of wild fauna and flora and that An Bord Pleanála had failed to correctly conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment prior to giving consent in the granting of permission to this development.
Ecopower Developments Ltd and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht are notice parties to these proceedings.
Options For Farm Families
Picture hereunder shows a section of the large group attending the first ‘Options Workshop’ at the Thurles Teagasc Office. The workshop commenced last night under the guidance of Mr Michael White, Teagasc Options Co-Ordinator in the Tipperary Region.
Teagasc have been running some 12 ‘Options for Farm Families’ workshops nationwide beginning since September / October 2014. These Teagasc Options workshops are expected to provide attendee’s with new thinking, the ability to generate new ideas and hopefully generate additional income both on and off the farm into the future.
Through these workshops, attendee’s will be introduced, each night, to guest farmer speakers who has succeeded in other forms of associated business diversification, and Teagasc specialists will also be on hand to answer your questions and cover a large range of topics discussed.
Just some of these topics which will be covered over the coming weeks are: Assessing your enterprise, Developing your ideas, Food enterprise possibilities, Energy crops, Forestry, Renewables, Organic opportunities, Rural tourism, Marketing, Direct selling, A Business Plan – The Basics, Applications for Grant Aid, Family farm finance, Business supports and Succession.
Booking is essential for these workshops and there is no course fee required to attend, however a small charge will be made in respect of where a bus is required for future farm visits.
The Thurles ‘Options Workshop’ will continue to run for five nights over a period of five consecutive weeks.
For further information contact the Thurles Teagasc Office, (Tel: 0504 21777).
 The Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS), latter through the ICOS Skillnet, together with its co-operative member organisations are inviting job seekers to a free ‘Foot in The Door’ training and advisory event in Thurles on Thursday, August 28th.
Launched in May by ICOS Skillnets and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and the Marine, Simon Coveney, the ‘Foot in The Door’ initiative is targeting potential new employees for the Irish Agri-food sector.
‘Foot in The Door’ events are happening nationwide, with Agri-food Co-Ops from each region taking part. The Thurles event will include a jobs advice clinic being provided by ICOS and co-ops including Dairygold Co-operative Society, Kerry Group, Cork Co-Operative Marts, and North Cork Co-operative Creameries.
Mr Billy Goodburn, ICOS Skillnets Manager stated: “The future growth and expansion of the Irish Agri-food industry requires additional human resources. In particular the dairy sector has considerable potential, given the industry expansion agenda that exists around the removal of milk quotas next year.”
This forthcoming event in Thurles will take place at the Anner Hotel, on Thursday, August 28th, 2014 from 2.00 pm – 5.30 pm.
NOTE: Advance registration is essential. To register to attend, candidates should please contact Breeda Flood or Billy Goodburn on Tel: 01 613 1348 or Email: billy.goodburn@icos.ie
 Insurance company Farmer Business Developments (FBD) has named North Tipperary’s ‘Young Farmer of the Year’ county finalist 2014, as 23-year old dairy farmer Mr Joe Maher.
A native of Roscrea, Co Tipperary, Joe will now go forward to represent Tipperary at the semi-final of the 16th Annual FBD ‘Young Farmer of the Year Competition,’ organised by Macra na Feirme in close partnership with the Irish Farmers Association (IFA).
Some 28 county finalists will now each compete in the National Semi-finals, latter which will take place later this month on August 20th to 22nd. Six overall finalists will then be chosen from these semi-finalists, to go through to the finals taking place on September 2nd next at the Westlodge Hotel, situated in Bantry, Co Cork.
Joe presently milks some 140 pedigree Holstein Friesians at his Roscrea holding and plans in the pipeline to increase his herd numbers to 160 in the future, subject to a settling down in present milk price volatility.
This prestigious ‘Young Farmer competition,’ supported by FBD Insurance, seeks to highlight and reward the top progressive young farmers annually in Ireland and entrants are judged on:- (A) Farm Business Initiative and Innovation; (B) Farm Efficiency and Enterprise Quality; (C) Farm Safety and Environmental Protection Awareness; (D) Overall Agricultural Knowledge; and finally (E) Community Involvement.
Prizes in this competition are awarded annually to first, second and third places and the overall national winner of the competition will receive a bursary, latter which will permit the same chosen individual to travel Internationally, while studying best farm practices abroad.
Prizes will also be awarded in the ‘Innovation’ and ‘Community Involvement’ categories and to each successful county winner.
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