Chewing the Cud with… John O’Connor
Each month, we focus the spotlight on a Tirlán employee. For our January edition, we’re talking to John O’Connor, Site Manager at our award-winning Wexford Cheese facility, proud Wexford native and lifelong GAA enthusiast
John is a proud Wexford man and a passionate GAA fan. He had a distinguished hurling career with his club St Martins and won an All-Ireland medal with Wexford in 1996. In recent months, he was heavily involved in St Martin’s successful run to a Leinster Senior Club Hurling title.
When you step into the Wexford plant, you’re greeted by more than the aroma of world-class cheese! You’re welcomed by a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose. For John O’Connor, leadership is about people: “There’s a great team of people here – over 60 colleagues who are passionate about cheesemaking and what they do every day.”
The Wexford site’s story stretches back to 1958-59, with a rich history of ownership and transformation. Today, after a €35 million investment by Tirlán, the plant stands as a state-of-the-art, highly automated facility, producing over 55,000 tonnes of cheese annually. But for John, the real strength lies in the people: “I know that I have a great team here and I can trust them… people come with solutions rather than problems.”
Teamwork at Wexford is more than a buzzword – it’s the foundation of daily operations. From the intake of over 1.8 million litres of milk each day to the meticulous grading of cheese by Jerry Warren, every process is a collaborative effort. The team’s ability to adapt, innovate and support one another is what keeps the plant running smoothly, even as they tailor bespoke cheeses to meet diverse customer needs.
John highlights the family spirit that runs through the site: “It’s a very family-orientated site in many ways because there are generations of people coming back to work here. Some who’ve retired now have family members working on site. It’s one big family, helping people through their journey of life.”
Teamwork in Action
John’s leadership style is rooted in trust and empowerment. He believes in giving his team the autonomy to make decisions and encourages a culture where solutions are celebrated.
He also pays tribute to those who came before, like Dr Seamus Auburn, who instilled the importance of quality and pride in their craft: “Make the best cheese we can make.” That ethos continues to inspire the team today.
Continuous improvement is a shared goal at Wexford. The team has embraced sustainability, reducing water usage by 11% over two years and cutting the plant’s carbon footprint by 540 tons with a new heat pump. These achievements are the result of everyone pulling together, supported by the Business Excellence programme and a collective commitment to reducing waste and improving efficiency.
A special congratulations goes to the entire Wexford team for hosting a highly successful series of Milk Supplier Open Days. Over 500 farmer suppliers visited the Tirlán Wexford facility – home to the award-winning Wexford Cheese – to see first-hand the dedication and expertise behind every product.
The two-day event showcased the full story of Wexford Cheese and Whey, from the high-quality milk produced on family farms, through every step of the production process, to the creation of world-class cheese and valuable whey ingredients that are exported worldwide. This achievement reflects the teamwork, pride and leadership that define the Wexford site.
Wexford Open Days Highlights
At the core of Wexford’s success is a culture of mutual respect, pride and shared achievement. John sums it up: “We do make great cheese… and I’m very, very proud of this site.”
