High standards in crop quality, sustainability and farm management are at the heart of Dairygold Agri Business’s Malting Barley Programme, and these qualities are very much in evidence among the four regional winners of the 2025 Dairygold Malting Barley Competition.
Drawn from across Cork and neighbouring Tipperary, this year’s regional finalists showcase the diversity of modern tillage farming while sharing a common commitment to agronomic discipline, forward planning and continuous improvement. The overall winner will be announced at the Dairygold Annual Tillage Conference, which takes place on Friday, 9 January 2026, at the Corrin Event Centre in Fermoy, Co. Cork.
The annual conference is a key fixture in the tillage calendar, bringing together farmers, agribusiness professionals and technical experts for a day of presentations, discussion and networking focused on best practice and emerging challenges in the sector.
North Cork: Dan Kiely, Carrigoon, Mallow
Farming on the eastern side of Mallow near the River Blackwater, Dan Kiely, alongside his wife Mary and son Paul, operates a mixed farming enterprise where tillage plays a central role. Their system combines a dry stock enterprise — finishing cattle on summer grazing — with a well-structured tillage rotation centred on Amity malting barley.
Barley is grown in rotation with oats or beans, supporting soil health and crop performance. Soil testing is carried out every three years, with nutrition programmes developed in conjunction with Dairygold agronomist Michael English. Particular emphasis is placed on trace elements, reflecting Dan’s attention to detail when it comes to crop nutrition.
Dan is also actively engaged in sustainability initiatives, participating in the EIP scheme and Teagasc cover crop trials, reinforcing his commitment to long-term soil management and environmental responsibility.
East Cork: Kieran Horgan, Carrigane, Carrigtwohill
On 60 hectares of limestone land near Carrigtwohill, Kieran Horgan runs a highly integrated farming system combining tillage and livestock. His crop mix includes Amity malting barley, winter barley, wheat, beans, fodder beet and potatoes, alongside a high-quality Simmental suckler herd, with Charolais crosses bred through AI.
Careful planning underpins Kieran’s tillage operation. Rotations are clearly defined, soils are tested every three years, and organic manures are incorporated to improve soil fertility. Fertiliser programmes are tailored to crop need, including trace elements where required.
Early planting is a priority for spring barley, while avoiding work on unsuitable ground — a balance that reflects experience and patience. Plant protection programmes are managed through Gatekeeper in consultation with agronomist Frank Hayes, and Kieran carries out most machinery work himself, assisted by his nephew Cian.
Tipperary: Oliver Keating, Cullenagh, Burncourt
Oliver Keating farms near Burncourt with his wife Margaret and their three daughters, running a mixed enterprise that combines tillage with an autumn-calving suckler herd. A strong advocate of regenerative farming, Oliver is involved in ACRES and EIP schemes and places a clear emphasis on building soil health through the use of organic compounds.
His tillage rotation includes winter barley, spring malting barley and oats, with regular soil testing guiding nutrition plans developed alongside Dairygold agronomist Tim McCarthy. Precision farming technologies are central to the system, with GPS and auto-steer supporting accuracy and efficiency.
Oliver’s malting barley deliveries to Dairygold’s New Inn intake have consistently recorded exceptionally high KPH, underlining the effectiveness of his approach. In addition, he provides contracting services, further embedding technology and best practice across his operation.
South Cork: Michael and John Henry O’Driscoll, Kilcrea, Ovens
West of Cork city, brothers Michael and John Henry O’Driscoll farm 140 hectares of limestone land, specialising in cereals and maize grown both for their own enterprise and for local farmers. Originally a dairy farm, the business transitioned fully to tillage in the 1970s.
Malting barley remains a cornerstone crop, with early planting prioritised to maximise yield and quality potential. Nutrition plans are informed by regular soil sampling, and crops are established using a plough-and-one-pass system. Plant protection and trace elements are applied with precision under the guidance of agronomist Dylan O’Gorman, with detailed records maintained through Gatekeeper.
The result is a consistently high-performing system producing top-quality, high-yielding crops year after year.
The overall winner of the 2025 Dairygold Malting Barley Competition will be announced at the Annual Tillage Conference on Friday, 9 January 2026.
Interviews with all four regional winners are available for farming and agricultural publications interested in exploring their systems, agronomic decision-making and approaches to sustainable crop production in greater detail.
