As far as the prerequisites of providing top-class agricultural contracting solutions goes, Drennan Agri Contractors ticks all the boxes: exceptional fleet, quality service, passion and enthusiasm – all backed up by decades of experience. We caught up with John Drennan at his Cullohill, County Laois base to discuss the history, current status and future plans of his business as well as the comprehensive range of services provided
John Drennan has all the ingredients that make up a dependable and successful agri contracting operation. At the heart of this business is an excellent fleet, which is refreshed regularly and maintained in superb condition at all times, always ready to provide a wide range of services to a host of long-standing customers from within a 15-mile radius of Cullohill, County Laois (which is located in a veritable rural heartland equidistant from Thurles, Kilkenny and Portlaoise).
But it’s not just about the gear… The passion is most certainly there, too; in the blood, perhaps. You see, there’s a strong family tradition in agriculture (John’s father Jack was a well-noted ploughman), which John has taken to the next level since starting out as a contractor some 23 years ago.
Reflecting on the genesis of Drennan Agri Contractors, he notes: “Yeah, there is a tradition there. On the home farm, they would have sowed and cut corn and did a bit of spraying as well as small square bales. It was a small enough operation but that’s where it all started from.”
John bought his first tractor in ’92 and has never looked back. Today, he operates a stunning fleet of seven tractors, comprising Claas, Lamborghini and Valtra. When we dropped in to meet him, he had just taken possession of two striking brand-new Claas 640 from Kelly’s of Borris and we have to say, John runs one of the cleanest machinery yards we have ever come across.
Eschewing a formal education, the Laois man learned the lie of the land from a young age. “I left school early and went off and worked for a few different fellas and gathered up enough money to buy my first tractor – an Ursis 4512. The following year, I bought a round baler and in 1994 I purchased a 699 Massey Ferguson.”
John also recently acquired a brand-new Claas 850 forage harvester, as well as a new Claas Lexion 630 combine last year. He also does wagon silage and runs a couple of McHale Fusion Balers. “I get a new baler every second year and added a new one from Kelly’s earlier this year,” he notes.
“We also do a lot of reseeding and have two tillers with grass seed sowers on the back and Moore unidrills.” Elsewhere in the spectacular fleet, one can find two sprayers – both 24-metre, one self-propelled; a ten-tonne lime spreader and a ten-tonne fertiliser spreader; plus two slurry tankers – one Redrock (which was purchased this year) and one MAJOR.
John also invested in a new five-sod reversible plough from Kellys this year to work alongside his existing four-sod reversible plough. Last year he bought a new Dung Spreader from Thorpe Machinery Sales. He also sows and cuts maize and operates two drills for sowing corn. “There’s not too much we don’t do,” he confirms.
Clearly, there has been a massive investment in machinery in recent times – this year alone being a case in point. This is to ensure that as demand for his services increases, John can continue to provide the exceptional level of service for which he has become renowned.
“In more recent years, we have been doing a greater volume of work and working longer hours, so we can’t afford to stop spending. The machinery must keep going. You have to ensure that you have the best equipment possible to do every job and that all the gear is working at all times. You need to have new machinery to avoid breakdowns.
“It’s a full-time job as it is keeping all the machinery serviced and maintained without having to worry about any bigger problems, so you’re better off with new gear. When you are flat out, you don’t have time to be repairing or diagnosing machinery.”
It’s a thriving operation which has flourished through quality workmanship and positive word of mouth. At present, John provides gainful employment to four all year around, men whom he says he would be lost without, and the number generally goes up to the ten mark during the busy summer months. John’s wife Therese plays a vital role in the business as she takes care of the bookwork and is on hand to feed a hungry workforce when needed, while daughter Bríd also helps out. His son Martin (9) is already showing a healthy interest in the business and it is not inconceivable that one day the father-and-son team will work alongside one another…
The Laois man also operates Volvo, New Holland and JCB loaders and has developed his own machine – a beet washer basket – which fits onto the front of loaders and can wash beet crystal clean. Between the months of September and May, he washes beet as far afield as Cork, Limerick, Birr, Banagher, Tipperary, Kilkenny and Edenderry, while customers also have the option of purchasing baskets if they wish.
John also grows his own beet and corn. He farms approximately 80 acres of his own land and generally produces between 300 and 350 acres per year.
On the contracting front, he intends to continue providing his loyal customers with the best possible service. “The contracting is going very well and we have a very good customer base built up, some of whom have been with us since the start and all of whom are good to pay. We are very fortunate to have such good customers and we will look after them. I find that the good customers – the lads who are quick to pay – tend to want you today and that is why we are running the strong fleet, to ensure that we never let them down.”
In 23 years in business, John Drennan hasn’t let a single customer down; he’s not about to start now!
Drennan Agri Contractors,
Oldtown,
Cullohill,
Portlaoise,
County Laois.
Tel: 087 253 9353
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 3 No 6, July 2015
