Cathal MacMahon
Cathal MacMahon farms in association with his father near Miltown Malbay in County Clare. The hill farm is approx 55 acres and would be marginal land and blanket bog. About 10ha of the land is in the Hen Harrier SPA. There are 11 horses, 3 of which are breeding mares, 8 sucklers and a bull kept on the farm. The cattle are block grazed and they help to manage the upland vegetation and minimise scrub encroachment. The farm is very extensively managed and external inputs are minimal. Cathal’s ancestors have farmed the land for generations, and he is proud of his farming heritage and maintaining traditional ways of managing the land. Heritage features on the farm include a famine road and wall. There is great biodiversity on the land and the farm is an important habitat for the Hen Harrier and the endangered Marsh Fritillary butterfly. There are many wildflowers growing on the bogland. Other wildlife includes kestrels, buzzards, badgers and frogs. In recent years, Cathal has planted hedgerows around the farm and groves of native woodland as part of his participation in the Illuan Farm-Forest Alliance EIP - “We have been planting hedgerows around the farm for the past few years to create natural boundaries and shelter belts on the land.”
Cathal is an ag science teacher and he is heavily involved in local community projects and initiatives.
Nomination:
Cathal MacMahon farms in association with his father near Miltown Malbay in County Clare. The hill farm is approx 55 acres and would be marginal land and blanket bog. About 10ha of the land is in the Hen Harrier SPA. There are 11 horses, 3 of which are breeding mares, 8 sucklers and a bull kept on the farm. The cattle are block grazed and they help to manage the upland vegetation and minimise scrub encroachment. The farm is very extensively managed and external inputs are minimal. Cathal’s ancestors have farmed the land for generations, and he is proud of his farming heritage and maintaining traditional ways of managing the land. Heritage features on the farm include a famine road and wall. There is great biodiversity on the land and the farm is an important habitat for the Hen Harrier and the endangered Marsh Fritillary butterfly. There are many wildflowers growing on the bogland. Other wildlife includes kestrels, buzzards, badgers and frogs. In recent years, Cathal has planted hedgerows around the farm and groves of native woodland as part of his participation in the Illuan Farm-Forest Alliance EIP - “We have been planting hedgerows around the farm for the past few years to create natural boundaries and shelter belts on the land.”
Cathal is an ag science teacher and he is heavily involved in local community projects and initiatives.
Nomination Description:
In association with his family, Cathal farms the family farm at Clohanmore, Miltown Malbay. Cathal’s ancestors have farmed at this location for centuries and he is justifiably proud of his farming heritage. The family farm is a multi-enterprise operation with several family members having varying inputs. Cathal has a unique grasp of how traditional farming practices can be merged with modern technologies leading to a type of farming that is very much at one with nature. A science graduate, Cathal has researched rare farming breeds and crops that are suitable for this particular location. Cathal works as a teacher but there is little doubt that this is to generate additional capital to invest in his beloved farm. Cathal is an authority on local wildlife with a particular interest in rare and endangered species such as the Marsh Fritillary and the Hen Harrier and has gone way above and beyond the required measures to ensure that the farm is an environmental “mecca” for such species. Cathal is also a keen heritage enthusiast with a wealth of knowledge on local monuments and famine walls. Held in the highest of esteem by his peers and others who are many years his senior, Cathal is an extremely rounded individual whose integrity is beyond question. In addition to being an innovator, Cathal is a loyal friend and a most helpful neighbour. Shy by nature, Cathal seldom courts publicity, preferring to work behind the scenes. His concern and care for his locality is admirable and this commitment can be gauged from the fact that he is one of the founding members of the local Clare Farming With Nature Project. This fledgling organization consists of a landowner grouping of like-minded individuals who are keen to preserve the unique habitats and biodiversity in this region. It is widely accepted that Cathal is the real driving force behind this worthy initiative. Cathal has very tangible objectives for this project. He has researched similar initiatives countrywide. Cathal is an excellent communicator and collaborator with exceptional inter-personal skills. He is most respectful of alternative opinions and always seems to be focused on a positive and agreeable outcome in any group discussion. There is little doubt that Cathal would be an excellent Farming Ambassador……
Nominator: Congella McGuire, Heritage Officer, Co.Clare
