Postcard Gardens in Bloom
Postcard Gardens in Bloom
Win tickets to this year’s Bloom and experience Postcard Gardens, sponsored by Tirlán Countrylife
We are delighted to announce that Tirlán CountryLife is the official feature sponsor of the Bloom Postcard Gardens this year. This much-loved amateur showcase is one of many gardening features at the popular June bank holiday weekend event. Bord Bia Bloom will return to its home in the Phoenix Park, Dublin for five days from May 30th-June 3rd.
As the first sponsor of the Postcard Gardens feature, we are incredibly proud to embark on this exciting adventure.
Speaking about the Bloom Postcard Gardens sponsorship, Fiona Byrne, CountryLife Brand Manager said: “As we gear up for Bloom Garden Festival, our team is focused on crafting a memorable experience for all, from curating plants for our very own Tirlán CountryLife Postcard Garden to coordinating main stage features sharing key information on community gardening.”
“Additionally, we will be inviting attending kids to plant a flower on our display flower wall and a chance for attendees to spin the wheel to win hundreds of prizes daily and a chance to win our overall prize of a community garden worth €2500.”
Fiona added: “Our communication plan covers all bases, from influencer collaborations to radio ads and a nationwide competition with Today FM, offering exciting prizes for participants. Plus, our targeted outdoor poster campaign ensures maximum exposure across our store network. During the event, our social media team will create viral content through attendee engagement to maximise our reach. Stay tuned for more updates!”
Senan Foley, Head of Retail at Tirlán, said: “Community is at the heart of what we do at Tirlán CountryLife. We are delighted to take our long-running relationship with Bord Bia to the next level with this sponsorship. With a network of 15 garden centres, all of which operate in local communities throughout the south, east and midlands of Ireland, and a huge amount of horticultural expertise, we will work with Bord Bia Bloom to spread the magic of the Postcard Gardens to an even wider audience.”
POSTCARD GARDENS
The Postcard Gardens at Bloom consist of small but perfectly formed 2m x 3m plots. They are petite garden spaces that provide community groups, schools, charitable organisations and garden clubs the chance to tell their stories and showcase creative talents through innovative and vibrant garden design.
WIN TICKETS TO BLOOM GARDEN FESTIVAL
To be in with the chance of winning two tickets to this year’s Bloom Garden Festival, keep an eye out on Viva Engage in the coming days!
For more information visit Tirlán CountryLife Proudly Championing Bloom Postcard Gardens – CountryLife Blog
ELT Roadshow Round-up
ELT Roadshow Round-up
Our successful ELT Roadshow gave employees a chance to connect with one another
Our Executive Leadership Team (ELT) recently met with international and Irish teams, both virtually and in-person throughout the Tirlán network. The annual ELT Roadshow serves as a platform for the ELT to deliver business updates, acknowledge teams and engage in discussions on matters of global and local significance.
The Roadshow provided a valuable opportunity for our employees to connect with one another and receive direct insights from our Leadership team. Play this short photo reel for a selection of photos from across all ELT Roadshow 2024 locations.
As we strive to continuously improve, aligned with our value of “Adapt to Grow,” we invite your feedback on the ELT Roadshow to help shape future events.
The success of the annual Roadshow is made possible by the Engagement Network, a dedicated group of individuals across the organisation who contribute to the seamless execution of the roadshow at each site. Our sincere thanks to each of you for your support, as well as to all our Site Managers for their efforts in facilitating these events.
New charity partnership with Aware
We were delighted to use this opportunity to share with you the details of our new charity partnership with Aware as part of our commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility.
Aware is a registered charity which provides free support, education and information services to those impacted by anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and other mental health related conditions. In 2023, Aware directly supported up to 40,000 people via its support and education services.
The subject of mental ill-health will resonate with many of us on a personal level. We hope that through both corporate donations and employee fundraising, we can make a real difference. Last year alone, we raised €116,000 for worthy causes and created a positive impact in communities across the south-east, midlands and north-east.
Please watch this short video for more information about our charity partnership with Aware.
Taking Action Together
Taking Action Together
Tirlán’s River Slaney Project aims to stabilise and improve water quality along the river
Mid-April we launched our ‘Farming for Water: River Slaney Project’, a collaborative initiative designed to enhance water quality across the Slaney River catchment area in counties Wexford, Carlow and Wicklow.
Tirlán has taken the lead to establish a new multi-agency collaborative project to help stabilise and improve water quality along the River Slaney which runs through the heartland of the south-east of the country, highlighting our spotlight value ‘Empower and Go’ in its true colours.
The project is designed to bring together key agencies to help improve water quality at local, catchment and national levels. This is essential in order to make the best possible case to retain Ireland’s Nitrates Derogation from 2026 which is key to protecting the financial viability of Irish dairy farming.
Speaking at the launch, Minister McConalogue called for a collective effort to make real improvements to water quality in key regions to ensure Ireland and Irish farmers secure the Nitrates Derogation from 2026.
Click here for more on the ‘Farming for Water: River Slaney Project’
And check out the video below
Commenting on the River Slaney Project launch, Lisa Koep, Chief ESG Officer at Tirlán said: “We need to accelerate action and we intend to take best practice learnings from our Slaney programme and share them across our entire supplier base and to drive good water quality practice.
“We look forward to working with our farmer suppliers and partners in the region and to working together to enhance water quality and protect farm family incomes for generations to come.”
Chewing the cud with…
Chewing the cud with…
Each month, we put the spotlight on a Tirlán employee and for our May newsletter, we’re talking to Matthew Moylan, Sustainability Advisor
Matthew Moylan, Sustainability Advisor, celebrates six years with Tirlán in June and is revelling in his busy role as part of the new Farm Support Service, working hand in hand with suppliers in the Slaney catchment.
He’s one of a dedicated team working with Tirlán suppliers across Wicklow, Carlow and Wexford to help reduce nitrogen losses in what the Environmental Protection Agency’s water testing programme has identified as “a catchment of concern”.
The Agricultural Science graduate at Waterford Institute of Technology started out in the powder plant in Belview and transferred over to the sustainability team two and a half years ago.
“I absolutely love it. We’ve a lot of work to do on the ‘Farming for Water: River Slaney Project’. But the engagement from suppliers has been great and there is real momentum behind the programme. I worked with Teagasc and for Farm Relief Services when I graduated and then took six months out and travelled to Australia and New Zealand.
“I worked in Belview for three and a half years and when a role came up in sustainability, I jumped at the opportunity. There’s no typical day in this role. Now that the weather is finally improving, we’re hoping to get out more onto farm and work with our suppliers and help them to farm in a more sustainable manner.
“We were delayed a bit getting onto farm because of the bad weather. But we’re out more now and the level of engagement is fantastic. Our suppliers have always been engaged and are very open to taking advice. We’ve a very high engagement rate of 98% on the ASSAP programme.
“Our focus for the next two years will very much be on the Slaney and improving water quality there. It’s crucial if we’re going to retain the Nitrates Derogation. We’ll be looking at their farm infrastructure, their nutrient management plan, improving their milk solids and help them become more economically and environmentally sustainable. They can go hand in hand.”
Matthew lives on the family farm in Dunamaggin so even after a long day, he’s ready, willing and able to help with milking or any other jobs around the farm. And to relax, he’s a keen follower of Leinster rugby and also Kilkenny hurling.
“I don’t play sports anymore unfortunately. I played a bit of hurling and football in my day. It’s important to keep up to date with all of the changing legislation and regulation in this job, so I’ve also signed up to the Sustainable Farming Academy and am studying at UCC.
“Every day is a learning day and there’s always something new you can learn. Lots has changed since I studied at WIT. It’s great to pick up new pointers, learn new things and I can do the assignments at quieter times of the year on the job.
“It’s also great to be mixing with suppliers on the course. You hear things from the other undergraduates and it makes you better at your job. It’s fun as well as learning and I’m delighted I signed up.”
Matthew says he loves the variety in his role and the genuine engagement from farmers. “We’ve a lot to achieve in the next 18 months in the Slaney. There is serious work to be done. But when you arrive on farm and you are greeted by a supplier who is hungry for knowledge, ready and willing to engage, it’s refreshing and rewarding. I’d be very hopeful that we will achieve our goals there.”
Sustainable farming know-how
Sustainable farming know-how
Tirlán and Baileys are celebrating 50 years in partnership.
Tirlán and its dairy ingredients customer Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur are celebrating 50 years in partnership by opening applications for their third successive Sustainable Farming Academy.
Now in its third year, the course offers 20 fully-funded places on the Level 7 Diploma in Sustainability, Environment & Climate delivered by UCC.
The programme is an educational initiative delivered through University College Cork to support Irish farming communities in addressing environmental challenges by giving them the knowledge, skills and know-how to farm more sustainably.
Please let our farm family suppliers know that applications are open until Friday, 28th June. Any supplier interested in applying will need to submit an expression of interest via the UCC portal before this date.
For more information
For more information visit: Sustainable Farming Academy – Diploma Overview | Tirlán CountryLife
Thanks to Brindley, Caroline Moylan, Matthew and colleagues for the great team work and living our ‘Collaborate for Success’ value.
Sustainability on show
Sustainability on show
Tirlán was proud to host the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI Platform)
We were delighted to co-host the spring meeting of the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI Platform) Dairy Working Group alongside Kerry Co-op from Tuesday 23rd-Friday 26th of April. SAI Platform’s Dairy Working Group takes a comprehensive industry approach to key sustainability issues, incorporating global dairy buyers (including some of our key customers), international processors, retailers and farmers’ representatives, accounting for over 30% of the global milk supply.
The international group, traveling from as far as New Zealand, the US and Europe, gathered in Kilkenny over four days. The week commenced with a warm welcome to the 60+ participants in Abbey Quarter and throughout the week, they enjoyed two Tirlán farm visits. The first visit was to the farm of Tirlán suppliers Bryan and Gail Daniels, where Bryan shared insights into the brilliant sustainability initiatives implemented on his dairy farm. On Friday, they visited the farm of Tirlán suppliers Eamon and Lois Sheehan, showcasing best practices and innovation in herd health and technologies.
Another highlight of the week was the Irish Co-op Farmer Showcase at Kilkenny Castle. During this collaborative event, Tirlán suppliers Gillian and Neil O’Sullivan and Eamon Sheehan, along with suppliers from Carbery, Kerry and Lakeland Dairies, provided valuable insights into how they implement environmental, economic and social sustainability on their farms. Insights from Bord Bia and Teagasc UCD on Irish grass-based dairy and Origin Green were also shared. The showcase concluded with a fantastic panel discussion where farmers candidly discussed their efforts to enhance sustainability on their individual farms, touching on essential topics like farmer mental health and succession.
A massive thank you to all the Tirlán colleagues who contributed to such a fantastic week. Our international visitors left extremely impressed by Tirlán and the collaborative spirit of the Irish dairy industry!
Avonmore Summer Sensation
Avonmore Summer Sensation
Avonmore launches Raspberry and White Chocolate whipped cream
We are thrilled to announce the arrival of our newest Avonmore flavoured whipped cream, ‘Raspberry and White Chocolate’, now available in stores. Our dedicated team has crafted a robust communication campaign, emphasising in-store promotions, street sampling and social media engagement. The primary goal is to heighten awareness of this new flavour, enticing customers to try it and consider making a purchase.
The journey of developing this innovative product began last November, with members from R&D, Marketing and Commercial teams collaborating closely. Traditionally, we release a special edition cream for the summer season and after 3-4 years, this new flavour marks a significant addition to our lineup.
This exclusive flavoured whipped cream will grace the market throughout the summer months, promising a delightful addition to your shopping list. Don’t miss the chance to savour the unique blend of this Avonmore whipped cream!
GAIN Champion Collection kicks off
GAIN Champion Collection kicks off
The prestigious series highlights the partnership between The Curragh and GAIN Equine Nutrition
The GAIN Champion Collection is a prestigious series in Irish horse racing, providing an exciting platform for two-year-old competitors to showcase their talent. With an impressive prize pot of €220,000, the series offers substantial rewards for participants, attracting top-tier talent.
The series kicks off on May 6th with the GAIN First Flier Stakes, setting the stage for an exhilarating competition, followed by the Group 3 GAIN Marble Hill Stakes on May 25th, known for its high level of competition and excitement.
The series reaches its climax on Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Day, June 30th with the Group 2 GAIN Railway Stakes, a historic race dating back to 1851. The Railway Stakes holds a special place in the racing calendar as one of the oldest races, highlighting the rich heritage of horse racing.
The series offers additional incentives for participants, with the winning horse of the GAIN Railway Stakes earning an automatic entry into the prestigious Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes, further enhancing the prestige of the series.
Once again, the GAIN Railway Stakes will be part of the Tote World Pool, providing increased international exposure for the race and attracting attention from racing enthusiasts worldwide.
“In 2023, the success story of ‘Bucanero Fuerte’, trained by Adrian Murray, winning the GAIN Railway Stakes and subsequently the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes was truly remarkable,” said Philip Gilligan, Irish Country Manager, GAIN Equine Nutrition.
“It reinforces that the GAIN Champion Collection series plays a vital role in the development and progression of young horses, providing a pathway to Group 1 success and cementing its position as a cornerstone of the racing calendar.
“We look forward to following the season closely and eagerly await the unfolding of yet another exciting chapter in the GAIN Champion Collection Series,” said Philip.
GAIN’s association with the series further strengthens its relationship with The Curragh, building on a partnership that began in 2012 and highlighting its commitment to supporting and promoting horse racing.
Evan Arkwright, Racing and Sponsorship Manager, The Curragh said: “The GAIN Champion Collection is now firmly established as one of the leading series of races in the international racing calendar, consistently attracting some of the very best juveniles in training and has further helped to develop the long standing and very positive partnership between the racecourse and GAIN Equine Nutrition.”
Adrian Murray, Racehorse Trainer said: “We were thrilled with the success we had last year in the GAIN Champion Collection Series. It’s a very important series for us. We have several nice 2 year olds that we hope will do well this year and hopefully be good enough to go on to win a Group 1.”
Overall, the GAIN Champion Collection Series represents a pinnacle of excellence in horse racing, offering top-class competition, substantial rewards and opportunities for international exposure and recognition for participants.
CountyLife Fethard gets a refresh
CountyLife Fethard gets a refresh
The newly refurbished CountyLife Fethard branch officially opens
We have officially opened our newly refurbished and extended branch in Fethard, Co Tipperary.
The free, family-focused and fun opening event featured competitions and give-aways, store discounts, food and drinks, as well as live demonstrations with the in-store horticulturist.
Cutting the ribbon at the official opening of the branch, John Murphy, Tirlán Chairperson, said that investing in the local branch network is very much part of Tirlán’s Living Proof sustainability strategy and encouraged farmer suppliers and members of the wider community to continue to support the branch.
“Tipperary is of major importance to our farmer-owned Co-operative. Tipperary dairy farmers are our fourth biggest suppliers and we paid €168 million in milk cheques to farm families in Tipperary in 2023.
“This branch has been completely redesigned to improve the customer experience and allow us to extend our stock range. Our garden centre has been extended by 30%, Fethard now has a dedicated farm equip area carrying an extended range of farm hardware and machinery and we’ve added a new bagged feed store and more.
“The foundation of our Fethard store dates back to the early 20th century. From small beginnings as a privately owned creamery, it emerged as a progressive business servicing the needs of farmers in south Tipperary.
“Fethard amalgamated with several local creameries over the years including Coolmoyne, Cloran and Killerk. As part of the South Tipperary Co-op group, they joined Avonmore Creameries in 1973.
“The 80’s saw a period of great change for Fethard, with the old creamery building knocked and in 1983 a new store was built. This comprised a grocery and hardware shop, along with two warehouses on this very site.”
Congratulations to all involved!
Cool for Cats
Cool for Cats
Win a GAIN Pet Nutrition cat hamper
To celebrate GAIN Elite Cat 20% OFF for the month of May and our updated formula, we are giving one lucky staff member a chance to win a GAIN Pet Nutrition cat hamper packed full of goodies for your four-legged friend.
How to enter
All you have to do is share a photo on Viva Engage of your furry friend, using the hashtag #GAINCatSnap to be in with a chance of winning. The competition closes Friday 31st May and the winner will be announced Tuesday 4th June😻. Double entry if you tag @gainpetnutrition on your social media sharing a photo of your cat! 📷 #GAINTheAdvantage