O’Mahony Agri Contractors in Kilmallock, County Limerick is an exceptional third-generation family business that has been providing unrivalled mowing, tedding, raking, baling, stacking, pit silage and slurry services to farmers in South Limerick and beyond for over four decades. We caught up with Peter O’Mahony for an update on this excellent family-run operation.
It was Niall O’Mahony who got the proverbial ball rolling. Niall was the first man in the Kilmallock area to own a tractor and he quickly made a reputation for himself in the locality cutting corn as well as carrying out other agri tasks during the war. The seeds were sown…
Over forty years ago, Niall’s sons Eamonn and Michael started up O’Mahony Agri Contractors, specialising mainly in round baling but diversifying to offer a range of other services. “In 1975, we had the first round bales in the area,” notes Peter, who is part of the third generation of the family, now fronting the business alongside first cousins Conor and James. “Eamonn and Michael are still around, keeping an eye on us,” he quips.
As for the services provided, as was the case way back in the mid-70s, baling remains very much the main area of expertise. “Round baling is our main thing,” Peter confirms. “We cut, rake and stack and have an eight-rotor tedder for turning. We do a lot of baling and also a bit of slurry. In addition to that, we’ve purchased two silage wagons this year and we’re going to be doing that for the first time. It’s a new venture for us and we’re hoping to get a good bit of work out of that.”
The vast majority of work is conducted in and around Kilmallock. “We wouldn’t turn anyone down and will go anywhere we can get work but most of it is local – Kilmallock, Athlacca, Bruff, Bruree, Kilfinnane etc.”
The O’Mahonys are extremely well-known in the local community for providing a top-quality service at a fair price. Needless to say, this has resulted in a large volume of repeat business. “We’ve built up a lot of loyal customers over the years and we appreciate their loyalty,” Peter notes. “You try to hold onto the good ones! And I can honestly say that we have a lot of great customers.”
What’s the key to building up a strong customer base? For O’Mahony Agri Contractors, it has always been a simple matter of customer service: “If you provide a good service at the right price, you won’t go far wrong,” says Peter. “If you do a good job and keep your customers happy, then there’s a good chance they will stick with you. If you say you’re going to be there at a certain time, then you have to be there. There would be a lot of competition in this area, but thankfully we have built up a great reputation over the years and we have a very good name, so we’re holding our own.
“Customer loyalty does play a part in it and people won’t change if they know they’re being looked after. A lot of it goes back over the generations – our fathers would have worked for their fathers etc. and I’m sure a lot of it would even stretch back to our grandfathers’ time.”
Of course, you can’t provide a stellar service without superb equipment. This is another area in which O’Mahony Agri Contracting has never been found wanting. At present, they operate a fleet of twelve tractors, mostly New Hollands, and two JCB loading shovels (a 436 and a 426). “It was all Ford and New Holland until last year but we’re trying out some other makes as well now just to see how they go. We bought our first Case tractor this year and also invested in a Deutz last year, but we’d be synonymous with New Holland down the years.”
Other machinery owned by the O’Mahonys includes three McHale fusions balers, one ordinary round baler, a McHale single wrapper, two rakes (Lily and Claas), a Lily tedder, a John Deere mower and a Kuhn front mower. “We’ve also bought a Celtic side-mounted mower new for this year – which is a new model for Kilmallock – and we also have a Celtic ten-pack for drawing bales.”
All the gear is maintained in pristine running order at all times. A good bit of the servicing and repair work is done in-house, with part purchased from John Roche in Kilmallock, while Pat Collins would be called upon to handle most of the bigger jobs. “Pat’s a New Holland mechanic and he hates to see us bringing in any other make,” Peter jokes.
There has been huge investment in the fleet down through the years and O’Mahony Agri Contractors now boast one of the finest set-ups in their local area. “You build it up over the years and you keep it fresh and keep it moving. Our customers are all fairly good and they look after us and that enables us to invest some money back into the business so that we can continue to offer the best service possible.”
All in all, the business is performing well and these are particularly exciting and progressive times for the family-run operation. “The silage wagons will be the big thing this year and we’re going to need two or three extra men. There’ll be the five of us here plus another seven or eight lads during the summer. It’ll be busy but that’s the way we like it.
“If you have good fellas working for you and you get on well together, then there’s no hassle. We’d get the same lads all the time and they all know what they’re doing and they’re good men.
“We also farm around 300 acres as well, with dairy and beef cows and some brood mares, so that helps keep us on our toes too. We have plenty to keep us going but if an opportunity comes along to expand or take on more work then we’ll take it. There’s a chance we might get into reseeding this year, that’s something we’ve been thinking about.”
One thing is certain: whatever they do in 2015 and beyond, O’Mahony Agri Contractors will do it well! As always.
O’Mahony Agri Contractors
Kilmallock,
Co. Limerick
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 3 No 5, June 2015
