Aileen Sheehan said “Behind every good man is a great woman, and that’s true, but we shouldn’t be behind. It’s time for women in the agriculture sector to step forward.”
Milking 140 dairy cows on a 100pc leased farm, she is the first female winner in the competition’s 27-year history.
She began her farming journey in December 2021 after leasing a dairy unit in Whitechurch, purchasing a herd, and commencing milk supply. Alongside her career as a PE and Maths teacher, Aileen runs the enterprise with her husband, who serves in the army. The couple are also parents to a six-month-old baby.
The farm has three part-time staff, Sarah, Aoife, and Tadgh, and has a strong focus on sustainability, winning the Dairygold Milk Quality and Sustainability Award in 2024.
This year’s awards took place on September 9 at the Killashee Hotel, Naas, Co Kildare. On the night, Aileen also won the dairy category award as well as the Skillnet Biodiversity Award.
She spoke of the importance of women being visible in the agriculture sector after being announced as the winner.
“Behind every good man is a great woman, and that’s true, but we shouldn’t be behind. It’s time for women in the agriculture sector to step forward,” Aileen said.
Sarah Kelly, from Sligo, was awarded best young entrant, while Amie Coonan from Co Tipperary won the drystock category, and the land mobility award went to David Heraty of Mayo.
Isaac Wheelock, from Wexford, was the winner in the other enterprises category, and he was also the runner up in the competition.
Josephine O’Neill, Macra National President, said Aileen demonstrated her passion for and dedication to agriculture, the environment, and her local community.
“Aileen is following in the footsteps of many trailblazers in agriculture and will no doubt represent the title with pride and integrity. Congratulations also to all finalists on representing themselves so well.”
Michael Berkery, chairman of the FBD Trust, said The FBD Young Farmer of the Year award is a reflection of Aileen’s “unwavering” dedication, passion, and hard work.
“We take great pride in supporting initiatives that celebrate the remarkable achievements of young farmers and their vital contributions to the farming community. We hope these awards will continue to inspire the next generation to build strong, sustainable farm businesses for the future.”
IFA president, Francie Gorman, asked this year’s entrants to consider extending their involvement in representing farmers as he congratulated all participants.