Few agricultural contracting businesses can claim to have successfully evolved across two generations while continuing to expand and diversify. Pat Cronin & Sons, based in Gattabawn, Gneeveguilla, near Rathmore, Co Kerry, is one such operation.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024, the family-run enterprise has grown from modest beginnings into one of the most respected contracting and plant hire businesses in the south-west.
Established by Pat Cronin in 1974, the company today combines agricultural contracting, forestry services, civil engineering support and plant hire, while remaining firmly rooted in the values that helped build its reputation over the past five decades.
The business remains very much a family affair. Pat and his wife Kathleen continue to play an active role, while their five sons – Paudie, Shane, Alan, Kieran and Conor – now oversee the day-to-day running of the operation.
“The five of us are running the show now, but our parents are still involved in the business as well,” Paudie Cronin told Irish Tractor Agri & Plant.
That family commitment has been a cornerstone of the company’s success and has helped drive its steady growth over the years.
Today, Pat Cronin & Sons employs a significant workforce that fluctuates depending on seasonal demand.
“There’s between 20 and 30 working here at the moment, and at peak season then it could go well up to around 40,” said Paudie.
While agricultural contracting remains at the heart of the business, diversification has been a key factor in its development.
Alongside silage harvesting, slurry spreading, cultivation, reseeding and land reclamation work, the company has established a substantial presence in construction and civil engineering projects throughout Munster.
The scale and variety of current projects highlight the breadth of the operation.
“We’re with Beechwood Civils in Midleton and we’ve another job on-going with BAM down in Ringaskiddy,” Paudie explained. “We’d be on a couple of jobs with Cahalane Brothers Limited, one of them in Killarney, and then we have work going on at Tipperary Racecourse as well. We’re with Wills Bros then on a project in Limerick and we’re with Jons Civil Eng in Glanmire as well. As well as that, we’ve our own private work as well.”
Such projects demonstrate how the business has successfully expanded beyond its agricultural origins while maintaining strong links to the farming community. The diversification has also provided stability during periods when agricultural contracting faces increased economic pressures.
Forestry has been another important strand of the business for decades. The company has been involved in forestry operations since the late 1980s and has undertaken extensive work for Coillte and private forestry owners throughout the region. Services include forestry road construction, mounding, reforestation and site preparation, further broadening the company’s capabilities.
Supporting such a diverse operation requires substantial investment in machinery and equipment, something the Cronin family has never shied away from.
The company’s fleet currently includes 15 tractors, with further expansion already being considered.
Recent investment has included the addition of four new Valtra tractors.
“We got four new Valtras there off O’Connor Tractors. Two of them came at the end of last year and then the other two arrived a couple of months ago.
“They’re two 2026s and two 2025s and we’re very happy with them. They’re very light on fuel and the lads all want to be driving them, which is a problem in a way as well. They’re fighting over them,” Paudie laughed.
The new arrivals join a substantial fleet that has been carefully developed to meet the demands of both agricultural and construction work. Reliability and efficiency are critical considerations when machinery is operating across multiple sectors and locations.
Investment has not been limited to tractors. The company has also added new machinery ahead of the current season.
“We bought a new Fusion 4 trailer from Nunan’s in Broadford for this season as well and we might add another dump truck, but we’ll see,” Paudie stated.
This continuous reinvestment reflects the company’s commitment to maintaining modern, efficient equipment capable of delivering high-quality work for customers.
For a business operating in highly competitive sectors, reputation remains one of its most valuable assets.
According to Paudie, the reason customers continue to return is relatively straightforward.
“I suppose it’s down to the work. Getting stuff done on time and quality work as well. Reliability is a big part of it and there’s reward as well because you like to be called back to do work for the same fellas again.”
That emphasis on reliability and quality has helped establish long-standing relationships with customers across Kerry, Cork and beyond. In contracting, where timing is often critical and weather windows can be limited, dependability can make all the difference.
The company’s agricultural contracting services continue to cover a wide range of operations, including pit and bale silage, slurry spreading, ploughing, cultivation, reseeding, drainage and lime spreading. The family also farms approximately 60 acres, producing silage and carrying dry stock, ensuring they retain a close connection to the practical realities faced by their farming customers.
Despite the success and expansion of the business, challenges remain. Rising fuel costs continue to place pressure on agricultural contracting margins – a concern shared across the industry.
“With the price of fuel nowadays, the agri side of the business is challenging at the minute but, I suppose, we’re not depending on it solely,” said Paudie.
The diversified nature of the business has helped offset some of these pressures, providing multiple revenue streams and reducing reliance on any one sector.
As another busy silage season begins, weather remains a familiar talking point.
“The silage is starting away now with the weather only picking up now, but everyone has the same issues, I suppose.”
Looking to the future, the Cronin family sees continued growth as the natural next step.
“The hopes are to continue to expand. That’s what we’re kind of at at the minute anyway,” explained Paudie.
Given the progress achieved over the past 50 years, few would bet against them. From a local agricultural contractor established by Pat Cronin in 1974, the business has evolved into a major regional operation employing dozens of people, investing heavily in modern machinery and delivering services across agriculture, forestry and construction.
Yet despite its growth, the foundations remain unchanged: family involvement, hard work, reliability and a commitment to quality. Those principles have carried Pat Cronin & Sons through five decades of change and continue to drive the business forward as it embarks on its next chapter.
For a full list of services visit the company’s website www.patcroninandsonsltd.com and you can also keep up to date on Facebook and Instagram.
Pat Cronin & Sons
Gattabawn,
Gneeveguilla,
Rathmore,
Co Kerry.
Tel: (064) 664 3218
Web: patcroninandsonsltd.com
First published in Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 14 No 2, Summer 2026
