Dairy & Sustainability Awards 2026
Dairy & Sustainability Awards 2026
Celebrating our leading suppliers
On Monday 27th April, we hosted the Tirlán Dairy & Sustainability Awards 2026, a key event in the Tirlán calendar that celebrates excellence, innovation and leadership among our milk suppliers.
It was a hugely positive day, bringing together farmers, judges and colleagues, and celebrating the high standards being achieved every day across our supply base.
Award winners for 2026
Overall Milk Suppliers of the Year
Shane & Kate Fitzgerald, Portlaw, Co. Waterford
Portlaw, Co Waterford based couple Shane and Kate Fitzgerald were named Tirlán Milk Suppliers of the Year. They also received the Farming Ambassador Award, recognising their leadership, innovation and commitment to producing high quality milk sustainably while actively promoting the wider dairy sector in Ireland.
Shane and Kate Fitzgerald operate a highly efficient, grass based dairy system with approximately 200 spring calving Holstein Friesian cows. Sustainability and performance are central to their approach, underpinned by ongoing investment, strong grassland management and a clear focus on animal welfare.
Passionate advocates for Irish dairy, they regularly open their farm to the public and industry groups, demonstrating how productive, profitable farming can go hand in hand with environmental responsibility and community engagement.
Congratulating all the award recipients, Tirlán Chief Executive Officer Seán Molloy said: “The farmers we are celebrating today represent the very best of our Co-op. Their willingness to embrace innovation, improve sustainability and share their experiences sets a powerful example across our supply base. While the past spring has been a challenging one on farms, the resilience and professionalism of our members gives us great confidence for the future. Tirlán remains fully committed to supporting our suppliers as they continue to build strong, sustainable family farms for generations to come.”
Regional Award Winners
- South: Aherne Family, Shanawalla Farms, Stradbally, Co. Waterford
- West: Tom & Bill Gaffney, Tullaroan, Co. Kilkenny
- East: Seamus Byrne, Athy, Co. Kildare
- North: Tim, Gillian & Roisin Fitzgerald, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois
- Northern Ireland: Hugh Harbison, Aghadowey, Coleraine, Co. Derry
Category Award Winners
- Milk Solids Growth Champion: Dan O’Reilly, Stonefield Farms, Kells, Co. Meath
- Avonmore Fresh Milk Supplier of the Year: Amanda & John Mooney, Reynoldstown Farm Partnership, Ashford, Co. Wicklow
- Sustainability Champion: Seamus Brennan, Attanagh, Co. Laois
- Farming Ambassadors: Shane & Kate Fitzgerald, Portlaw, Co. Waterford
- Young Farmers: David Fogarty & Katie O’Toole, Cantwellscourt, Co. Kilkenny
- New Entrant: Conor Wynne, Newbridge, Co. Kildare
We were also proud to recognise the vital contribution made by our milk drivers through the Milk Driver Recognition Award. This year’s recipient was Mike Ryan of William Byrne Transport, following nominations made by farmers across the co‑op.
Collaborating for Success
Behind the scenes, the awards were made possible by a significant cross‑functional effort.
The internal working group led the screening process, with Eoin O’Riordan, Bryan Harte, Matthew Moylan, Ed Colgan and Ella Ronayne involved. The external judging process was supported by Joris Somers, working closely with Pat Murphy and Siobhan Walsh. The Corporate Affairs team played a key role in coordination and communications throughout.
The day itself also reflected the wider Tirlán contribution with great care and pride shown across the business, from the dessert and Chocolate Cup created by Barry Foley and Patrick O’Mara, to the flower arrangements prepared by Helena Kelly and Joe Kelly in Tirlán CountryLife, Monasterevin.
The Dairy & Sustainability Awards continue to be an important way for us to recognise the people behind our success – our suppliers – and to reinforce the standards, ambition and pride that underpin Tirlán.
Tirlán Awarded the KeepWell Mark
Tirlán Awarded the KeepWell Mark
A collective achievement we can all be proud of
There are moments when an award really reflects what it feels like to work at Tirlán. Being awarded the Ibec KeepWell Mark is one of those moments.
The KeepWell Mark is Ireland’s leading workplace wellbeing accreditation, recognising organisations that take a genuine, evidence-based and sustained approach to wellbeing. It looks beyond policies and good intentions, focusing instead on how wellbeing shows up in everyday working life, supported by leadership and shaped by employee voice.
What makes this achievement especially meaningful is how it was reached – together.
Collaborate for Success in action
At the heart of the KeepWell journey was collaboration across teams, roles and locations. From the colleagues who shared honest feedback on what wellbeing looks like day to day, to leaders and teams embedding wellbeing into how work gets done, this was a truly collective effort.
This is our Collaborate for Success value brought to life – working together, learning from one another and building something stronger than any one team could achieve alone.
Spotlight on the KeepWell Project Team
A special word of thanks goes to the KeepWell Project Team, who brought energy, commitment and teamwork to every stage of the process: Karen O’Brien, Lisa O’Rourke, Nicola Cooney, Maria Smiddy, Shane Aston, Cathal Bryne, Liz O’Donaghue, Lorraine Moran, Mary Banks, Frankie Hogan, Violet Janikowska, Orla Dwyer, Rhona Howley.
This group worked collaboratively across People Experience, Health & Safety, HR, Communications and site teams , gathering evidence, listening to employee voice and making sure our approach to wellbeing was authentic, practical and true to who we are at Tirlán.
Setting the standard
As part of this recognition, Tirlán was also named in the Top 100 Companies Leading in Wellbeing Index 2026, highlighting organisations who are helping to set the standard for workplace wellbeing in Ireland.
This milestone belongs to all of us. It reflects the everyday conversations, small actions and shared responsibility that make Tirlán a place where people can thrive.
Thank you for the part you play and for continuing to collaborate for success. Looking ahead, we remain committed to continuously enhancing our employee wellbeing experience and offerings through our OurWellbeing programme.
Chewing the Cud with… Keren Aguinaldo
Chewing the Cud with… Keren Aguinaldo
This month, we’re heading to Dubai to catch up with Keren Aguinaldo, who supports our Ingredients business across the Middle East & Africa as a Customer Care Executive
Although originally from the Philippines, Keren was born and raised in the UAE, a place she very much considers home. Growing up in such a diverse, multicultural environment shaped her outlook from an early age, exposing her to different traditions and perspectives. Arab culture, in particular, has become a meaningful part of her identity over the years; she can read and write Arabic and has built deep cultural connections that feel very natural to her. That connection became even more personal when she married her husband, who is Jordanian and, like Keren, also grew up in the UAE.
Keren joined Tirlán in July 2019, having previously worked as a Centre Manager with Regus, where she supported Glanbia through office and facilities management. Making the move to Tirlán felt like a natural next step, and since joining, she says she’s found a genuine sense of belonging. She speaks warmly about the supportive, collaborative environment and the opportunities it’s given her to continue learning and growing.
In her role today, Keren supports customers across the Middle East & Africa, managing orders from contract right through to delivery. Her day-to-day work centres on clear communication, accurate order management and close collaboration with internal teams to keep everything moving smoothly. Customer Care plays a key role as a central coordination point, working closely with commercial, logistics and planning teams to support timely delivery while contributing to monthly sales targets.
Collaboration is a huge part of what makes the role work well. Keren works closely with teams across Customer Service, Commercial, Planning, Logistics, Quality, Category and Documentation. While the UAE is three hours ahead of Ireland, strong communication, shared responsibility and trust ensure the team stays connected. For Keren, great teamwork comes down to shared values and a collective focus on delivering together.
As a result of her great teamwork qualities, Keren was recognised at the ELT Roadshow with an Adapt to Grow award alongside Connie Murphy, Dani Morris and Lisa Stewart for their work on the Product in Transit project. The team supported the delivery of over 100 displaced containers following disruption caused by the conflict in Iran, a complex and meaningful achievement that reflects true teamwork under pressure.
There’s also plenty happening behind the scenes. Keren and the wider team are supporting several key initiatives, including Project Phoenix, which has introduced a live dashboard providing real-time visibility of orders and significantly reducing manual reporting across the business. Together, this project is helping to improve efficiency and create more streamlined ways of working across order management.
For Keren, excellent customer care is about being proactive, transparent and reliable. Staying organised, prioritising effectively and maintaining strong relationships across the business all help her deliver consistent service and manage customer expectations with care.
Living and working in the UAE offers a lifestyle that may surprise colleagues in Ireland. While recent regional uncertainty was understandably unsettling at first, Keren says seeing how seriously the UAE prioritises public safety has been reassuring. Combined with the fast‑paced, highly accessible way of life and the region’s cultural diversity, it’s a place where she continues to feel safe, supported and grounded, helped by the backing of her husband, family, colleagues and the wider Tirlán team.
Outside of work, Keren enjoys spending time with her husband as they prepare to welcome their first baby with the support of her family and friends. They make the most of life in the UAE by trying new cuisines, heading to the cinema, going to concerts and enjoying relaxed staycations during the cooler months, while playing electric guitar remains Keren’s favourite way to unwind and properly switch off at the weekends.
Thanks to Keren for sharing her story and for everything she does to support our customers and teams across the MEA region.
