Jack Lynch

Jack Lynch is a lifelong farmer from Ballymakeera County Cork. He manages a 50ha hill farm where he runs a flock of 170 breeding ewes, 20 replacements and 5 rams. Most of his land is located in the Mullaghanish to Musheramore SPA, a designated Hen Harrier area, and Jack has been a participant in the Hen Harrier Project since 2018. The farm is very extensively managed with very few external inputs. The small area of lowland is used for silage production which supplements winter feeding as the sheep overwinter outdoors.
The mountain land consists of a variety of wet grasslands and bog/heath habitats. There is plenty of wildlife on the upland habitats including the Hen Harrier which is often seen hunting on the farm. Jack grows a crop of wild bird cover every year which helps birds and pollinating insects. Jack takes great pride in the high nature value of his land and is a wonderful example of a farmer who is working in harmony with the natural landscape of his farm.

Nomination:
Jack is a very enthusiastic and dedicated sheep farmer and has been all his life. He farms approximately 44Ha of a mix of mountain and lowland in the Ballymakeera area close to Macroom in Co Cork. He runs 170 breeding ewes, 30 replacements and 5 rams. Most of his land is located in the Mullaghanish to Musheramore SPA which is designated for Hen Harrier and Jack is a participant in the Hen Harrier Project since 2018. There is a wonderful array of wet grasslands and bog/heath habitats on the farm. He farms his high nature value farmland in a way which benefits both the environment and his farm family, with particular emphasis given to upland habitats, biodiversity, carbon sequestration and water quality. The farm is alive with wildlife and the Hen Harrier can be seen often in the area both during the breeding season and the winter. Jack also grows a crop of wild bird cover each year to help pollinators, biodiversity and bird life in the area. The seed mixes usually include; Triticale, Mustard, Phacelia, Radish, Vetch, Linseed, Birds-foot Trefoil and Chicory.
Nominator: Padraig Cronin, Project Officer, Hen Harrier Project