Dairy farmer Eoin Corrigan farms in partnership with his parents, Sean and Catherine, along with his wife Roisin, with the family unit placing togetherness, reliability, and teamwork as the main motivating factor that drives the farm forward.

Eoin and Roisin have an eight-month-old daughter, Hannah, which Eoin described as a "privilege" as she is often down on the farm either playing in the office or out and about the yard in the buggy.

The Corrigans are relatively new entrants into dairy, starting their journey in 2021, and are now in the thick of it and enjoying the calving season, with 275 cows set to be calved down this spring.

The farm places a strong emphasis on turning out cows to grass in early lactation to maximise the cow's dry matter intake (DMI), as they produced over 520kg of milk solids last year.

Eoin is the fourth generation of the Corrigan family to farm this particular plot of land, transforming it from a beef, sheep, and tillage enterprise into an impressive dairy operation.

The farm's area encompasses 147ha, with an overall stocking rate of 2.3LU/ha, where his crossbred herd of cows with an impressive economic breeding index (EBI) of over €220 making the farm operation tick.

Eoin was a finalist for the National Dairy Council and Kerrygold Quality Milk awards last year and is always thriving to improve his farm operation, but said that none of it is possible without the support of his family.

"What it all comes down to is family" Eoin said, and told Agriland that through dairy farming, he wanted to "provide a better livelihood for my family and have a sustainable income."

Eoin admitted that the heavy workload at certain times of the year, especially around calving, can be hard work and difficult to juggle with the demands of a young family.

However, for a big dairy operation like the Corrigan farm, family is very much at the heart of the operation, with Roisin and baby Hannah, along with Eoin's parents always close-by and around the yard.

Interestingly, in the pump house of the milking parlour, a buggy has been stored for baby Hannah whenever she was around the yard. Not only that, but Hannah's jackets are hung up in the office, while a playmat and baby chair are kept in the canteen, a testament to how this family farm operates.

Alongside the four founding partners, the team includes Marty and Johnny Murray, as well as Eimer Leonard, who is responsible for calf rearing, Claudia Durkan, the relief milker, and Patrick Egan, who works during the summer months.

Remarkably, none of the staff had prior experience on a dairy farm, but under Eoin's mentorship, they have embraced the work, forming a cohesive and efficient team.

A structured work rota ensures everyone enjoys time off, striking a healthy work-life balance and Eoin mentions that the success of the farm would not be possible without the strong team behind him.

Eoin has also hosted multiple grass management walks and calf care events on the farm, which further accentuates his commitment to both innovation and knowledge sharing.

The dairy farmer is a member of two discussion groups, the Greenfield Academy and the Mhi/Lu Discussion Group, and participates in the European Dairy Farmers network, which highlights his enthusiasm to learn the practical end of the business.

Eoin is a strong advocate for farmers engaging with urban communities, regularly connecting with non-farming audiences.

Every month, he calls down to the sixth class students at his local Boardmills National School, offering virtual farm tours and showing the young people where their milk comes from.

He is a proud participant in the Airfield Estate’s Farmer Time Program, which links farmers and students through digital video calls.

The Corrigan farm has been linked to schools across Ireland, with Eoin even bringing a cow and her twin calves on a visit to Scoil Mhuire in Horeswood, Co. Wexford.

Eoin told Agriland that he thinks it's vitally important to keep young people engaged with what really happens on a dairy farm, broadcasting the sustainable and rewarding lifestyle of dairy farming.

The dairy farmer mentioned that through this knowledge transfer and engagement with others, it is another reason for him to love dairy farming and gives him further encouragement to enhance his dairy operation.