The third annual National Dairy Awards were unveiled in The Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise this evening (Thursday, June 19) at a celebration attended by 250 people.

The awards honour the farmer, farm manager, dairy advisor, dairy vet and dairy innovator and also acknowledge their “dedication and hard work”.

Founded in 2023 the annual awards aim to celebrate primary producers, artisan producers, sector services and the dairy processors as an industry collective.

This year Agri Insider and Agriland Media Group joined forces to take the 2025 National Dairy Awards to the next level.

There was an air excitement as finalists gathered tonight to find out who would ultimately come top in their categories.

Judges readily agreed that all of the finalists should be commended on their achievements but 21 prestigious national dairy awards were presented tonight with Katie Gleeson, Templemore, Tipperary winning the overall AXA National Dairy Awards Champion.

Better known as "katieinthecountry" on social media, judges were impressed with how she uses her social media platforms to share family life on a dairy farm in a relatable way and as a result she scooped the award for dairy social media ambassador of the year.

Judges highlighted how Katie has built a community that stretches far beyond farming circles where she shares honest, hopeful stories  on dairy farming, rural life and the bigger picture of what farming means to Irish society.

She also uses every opportunity to bat for team dairy and promote positive coverage of the sector.

Meanwhile also among the award winners on the night was the Carbery Group who was named as the PTSB Best Dairy Producer/co-op of the year.

Judges awarded the co-op this award for staying true to their co-operative roots, as they prioritised being a truly sustainable business and "are deeply committed to understanding and minimising their economic, social and environmental impact".

Conor Mulvihill, director of Dairy Industry Ireland won the Agriland Dairy Leader of the Year award.

This award is in recognition of Mulvihill’s work at national and EU level.

Judges praised him for his role in "the media and press in representing the best interests of the industry and most recently your work on water quality and nitrates".

Meade Farm, Co. Meath picked up three awards - the farm manager won the FRS Co-op Dairy Farm Manager of the Year and the Munster Bovine Animal Health Dairy Farm Manager of the Year.

His colleague, Robert Devlin also won the Lely Atlantic Tech Innovator Dairy Farmer of the Year.

Meade’s dairy farming system is built around a 130- head herd of Fleckvieh cows on a 200 acre farm. The focus is on preventative herd health, careful monitoring and responsible antibiotic use in the split-calving herd.

Separately Colin Donnery, group CEO of FRS Co-Op won the Local Power Sustainability Driver of the Year award for his work in embedding sustainability into all of FRS’ operations as well as driving sustainability across the entire dairy sector.

Dairy Women Ireland, a community dedicated to empowering and supporting women in the Irish Dairy sector, also had a brilliant evening, picking up two awards.

They won the Cormac Tagging Dairy Discussion / Support Group of the Year as well as the FARM TV Dairy Marketing Campaign of the Year for their ‘I’m passing the phone to a woman in dairy’ campaign.

Other winners on the night Include:

Germinal Sustainable Dairy Grassland Manager of the Year Winner 2025- Brian O’Reilly, Benvult Ltd, Co. Limerick;
Mullinahone Co-op Young Dairy Farmer of the Year Winner 2025 - Martin O’Reilly, Cappalug Farm, Co Carlow;
Carbery Dairy Innovation Recognition Award Winner 2025 - Eminex Alltech & Alzchem;
Best Dairy Advisor Winner 2025 - Michael Monaghan of Lakeland Dairies;
Best Dairy Research Programme / Project Winner 2025 - Grassroots Training Programme (Dairygold);
Chanelle Pharma Dairy Vet of the Year Winner 2025 - Kevin Tomany of Patrick Farrelly & Partners;
Calor Best Dairy Sustainability Initiative of the Year Winner 2025 - Dairy Beef Integration Programme (ABP, Bandon Co-op & Certified Irish Angus);
Local Power Best Sustainability Driver Winner 2025 - Colin Donnery of FRS Co-Op;
Kerry Dairy Ireland Biodiversity Dairy Farmer of the Year Winner 2025 - Bruce Thompson, Co. Laois;
IFAC Best Dairy Product Innovation Winner 2025 - Bakery Butter (Lakeland Dairies);
Best Artisan Non-Cheese Product Winner 2025 - URBÓ Milk;
Best Artisan Dairy Cheese Winner 2025 - Knockanore Oakwood Smoked Mature Cheddar, Co. Waterford