Tirlán honours retired milk suppliers from Louth

Pictured L-R at the Tirlán Retired Supplier Breakfast held at the Lakeside Manor Hotel, Virginia, Co. Cavan are Tirlán CEO Seán Molloy, Roslyn and Tom and Rhona Kelly with their Grandchildren Beckett and Galen Mulhearn pictured with Henry Corbally and Tirlán Chairperson Ger O’Brien | Photo: Finbarr O’Rourke

placeholder image — Pictured L-R at the Tirlán Retired Supplier Breakfast held at the Lakeside Manor Hotel, Virginia, Co. Cavan are Tirlán CEO Seán Molloy, Roslyn and Tom and Rhona Kelly with their Grandchildren Beckett and Galen Mulhearn pictured with Henry Corbally and Tirlán Chairperson Ger O’Brien | Photo: Finbarr O’Rourke

The event brought together retired milk suppliers from across Northern Ireland, Cavan, Monaghan, Meath and Louth in recognition of their valued contribution to the co-operative, farming and their local communities over many decades

Tirlán welcomed retired milk suppliers from Louth and the wider North-East region to a special breakfast event in Virginia, Co. Cavan, on Wednesday 19 August, recognising their valued contribution to farming, their local communities and the co-operative over many decades.

Among those attending from Louth were Fiachra Bell from Dunleer, representing his brother Padraig, and Tom Kelly and Rhona Kelly of Phillipstown Farm, Drogheda.

Held at the Lakeside Manor Hotel ahead of the Virginia Show, the event brought together retired suppliers and Tirlán representatives from across the region for breakfast and a catch-up with former colleagues and neighbours.

The breakfast was organised as part of Tirlán's Generational Renewal Programme, which seeks to recognise retiring suppliers and thank them for their valued contribution to the Co-op.

Guests heard from Tirlán Chairperson Ger O'Brien, CEO Seán Molloy and former Chairperson and retired supplier Henry Corbally, who reflected on the proud history of milk production in the region.

Pictured L-R at the Tirlán Retired Supplier Breakfast held at the Lakeside Manor Hotel, Virginia, Co. Cavan are Eamonn McEnteggart, Fiachra Bell and Therese McEnteggart. | Photo: Finbarr O’Rourke

Speakers acknowledged the generations of suppliers who supported the Avonmore and Premier Dairies brands and whose commitment to quality helped build the success of the Virginia plant and its long-standing relationship with Baileys Irish Cream.

Addressing attendees, Ger O'Brien thanked retired suppliers for their dedication and commitment to milk supply and their local communities.

"A huge amount of work goes into running a dairy farm. It takes commitment, resilience and long hours, often over a lifetime.

“While many of those gathered have stepped back from milk supply, the farms they built, the communities they supported and the role they played in the co-op have all helped shape Tirlán into what it is today."

The breakfast was a fitting opportunity to thank retired suppliers for their commitment to farming and to recognise the contribution they made to their local communities, the Virginia plant and to Tirlán over many years.