What began as a hobby for some pocket money has quickly grown to a full scale business for the 20-year-old owner of Freeway Poultry James Stokes.

Stokes grew up on a dairy farm on the Limerick/Tipperary border, where he always kept a few hens as a child to sell eggs to family and friends.

After buying 100 day-old chicks to ensure quality eggs, Stokes sold 50 at Kilmallock Mart and realised the demand for birds. He continued buying and selling birds, before setting up his own business at age 13.