Chewing the Cud with... Cian Farrelly
Chewing the Cud with... Cian Farrelly
Each month, we put the spotlight on a Tirlán employee. For our January edition, we’re talking to Cian Farrelly a Production Manager in Virginia, Co. Cavan
Cian hails from Killoe, Co. Longford and studied Chemical & Bioprocess Engineering at University College Dublin. His career choices were influenced by his close connection to agriculture, having grown up near his grandfather’s farm. This early exposure to farming has been a constant in his life, and he continues to uphold this tradition.
Cian’s professional journey began as a student at Lakeland Dairies. He joined the Glanbia Graduate program in August 2015, starting as an Engineering Graduate in procurement, focusing on Energy and CapeX projects.
“I have been based in Virginia, taking on various roles, primarily in Engineering and Operations. Currently, I am the Production Manager in Virginia, where I am responsible for overseeing the milk processing operations. This includes converting milk into skim and cream, and ensuring the supply of cream to Diageo for Baileys, Lough Egish for UHT, and Killowen for yogurt production.
“I take great pride in maintaining the long-standing relationship we have with Diageo, which spans over 50 years, making Tirlán the exclusive supplier of cream for Baileys since its launch in 1974. I also value the dynamic and evolving relationship with Lough Egish, a relatively new business that continues to grow.
“Meeting customer demand and expectation can be challenging at times. But seeing the team effort on site and across the business in the different functions it takes to meet these expectations is enjoyable and rewarding, along with the continuous upgrades and improvement projects along the way.”
When asked about what he enjoys most about his job, Cian highlights the importance of maintaining and nurturing these key relationships. He finds fulfilment in contributing to the growth and success of these partnerships, which are crucial to the company’s operations.
“I’ve seen a lot of challenges over the years, especially with factors such as COVID and Brexit. But one of the toughest challenges going forward has to be the environmental and sustainability pressures. But with that also comes opportunities for different technologies and investments.”
Cian believes we have built strong partnerships with our customers by providing high quality Irish products and excellent service and consistent reliability. Cian adds: “I think we have strong relationships and trust built, as well as the dedication to supporting local farmers.”
When not on-site at our production facility in Virgina Co. Cavan Cian can be found on the pitch at Killoe Emmet Óg GAA Club. “I play football for my local club and have been fortunate enough to have won a couple of championships. I am heavily involved in the club and coaching the underage teams as well. I also play a bit of golf, but to be honest, I enjoy and follow most sports. I think it’s important to set aside time for yourself – when you have the time and do something you enjoy.”
Seán Molloy interview
Seán Molloy interview
Watch: In-studio Agriland interview with Seán Molloy
Tirlán CEO Seán Molloy sat down in studio with the online farming news portal Agriland before Christmas. The wide-ranging interview looked back at the weather challenges and supports offered by Tirlán throughout early 2024.
Looking ahead to 2025, it highlighted the importance of protecting water quality to give Ireland the best chance of retaining the Nitrates Derogation. With milk supply volumes recovering to surpass 3 billion litres collected over the year, Seán Molloy highlighted that global commodity markets were looking positive for early 2025.
Watch the full Agriland interview here:
On the Record with Tirlán CEO
Unearth your Future – Year in Review
Unearth your Future – Year in Review
Members of Tirlán’s graduate programme made great strides forward in their career in 2024
Our Graduate Programme offers a series of real-world learning experiences that help you build confidence in your abilities and flourish in your careers. Let’s take a look back at the exciting and eventful year we had in 2024.
Visit to The Orchard Farm
In early February, graduates visited The Orchard Farm near Tinahely, Co. Wicklow, managed by Tirlán suppliers Joe and Michael Hayden. Joe guided the group through the farm’s 150-year history and showcased the state-of-the-art milking parlour. The visit highlighted the family’s commitment to sustainability and efficiency, allowing graduates to see where Tirlán’s journey begins with grass-fed cows producing naturally nutritious milk.
Engagement with Agri Aware
In March, graduates collaborated with Agri Aware for the Walk & Talk Farm Series, representing Tirlán and speaking to students about careers in the agri-food sector, potentially inspiring future Tirlán graduates.
Site Visit to Portlaoise
In May, graduates visited the feed and oat mills in Portlaoise. Martin Gorman and Diarmuid Doran provided an overview and tours of the mills, giving graduates a comprehensive understanding of the manufacturing processes involved in producing high-quality products.
September Milestones
September marked the beginning for 16 new graduates joining the 2024 Unearth Your Future Graduate Programme. They participated in workshops, company overviews and team-building activities. Additionally, the 2022 cohort was recognised for completing their graduate journey, showcasing their CI projects and receiving commendations for their agility in navigating changes over the past few years.
Graduate Mentoring Programme Kicks-Off
The 2023 Graduate cohort began their second year with a mentoring programme, focusing on personal growth and skill-building. They completed modules on personal impact, high-performing teams and understanding others and had a chance to meet with Tirlán Board members during a module in September.
End of Year Networking Event
The year concluded with the first Unearth Your Future networking event in early December at the Atrium in Abbey Quarter. Graduates connected with senior leaders in a relaxed setting, sharing perspectives and ideas, underscoring Tirlán’s commitment to developing future leaders.
As we look ahead to 2025, we are filled with excitement and anticipation for the future. We are confident that our graduates will continue to make a significant impact on our company, bringing fresh perspectives and innovative ideas. We look forward to seeing their growth and contributions as they embark on the next chapter of their careers with Tirlán. Here’s to another year of success and development!
Making a difference
Making a difference
Christmas fundraising delivers a €6,000 ‘present’ for Tirlán’s charity partner Aware
Over the festive period, Tirlán employees and our farmer shareholders together raised over €6,000 for our charity partner Aware, which provides crucial mental health support services.
Aware is a national organisation committed to assisting individuals affected by depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and related mood conditions. In 2023 alone, Aware directly supported approximately 40,000 people through its comprehensive support and education services.
Our fundraising activities from Virginia to Belview were diverse and spirited, including donations from Christmas jumper days, festive breakfast and lunch events, and contributions directly from our farmers via our Council Representative structure. Each contribution, no matter the size, significantly impacts the lives of those who rely on Aware’s essential services. Together, we are making a real difference.
To enhance the festive cheer we entered all those who contributed to our fundraising efforts into a draw to win a number of prizes that were kindly sponsored by the Newpark Hotel. The winners are:
- Ruta Malinauskaite (Lough Egish) – A one-night B&B stay for two at the Newpark Hotel
- Louise McCurdy (AQ) – A one-hour spa treatment for two at the Newpark Hotel
- Padraig Dunne (Ballyragget) – A voucher for Afternoon Tea with Bubbles for two at the Newpark Hotel
- Cora McCormack (AQ) – A voucher for Afternoon Tea with Bubbles for two at the Newpark Hotel
For more information about Aware and its national survey, please visit their website at www.aware.ie. Aware’s support line is a free service available to anyone seeking support and information about anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder, whether for themselves or a loved one. The service operates seven days a week from 10am to 10pm.
A leader in workplace EHS
A leader in workplace EHS
For Tirlán, 2024 was a year of EHS excellence and progress
In 2024, our Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) compliance performance reflected a year of remarkable progress and achievements, most notably the development of the Tirlán Environmental Compliance Framework and world-class metric performance for both “Lost Time” and “Total Recordable Incidence Rates”. Last year also saw the central amalgamation of EHS functions which we believe has led to further improved efficiency for our internal stakeholders with some key achievements including:
- The launch of our central EHS SharePoint site, serving as a comprehensive hub for all Environmental, Health and Safety needs providing access to essential EHS documents, shared learning resources and safety alerts: VIEW HERE
- Deployment of a new online platform across our processing sites to enhance compliance with site-specific EHS legislation. This ensures all sites have the tools needed to effectively evaluate and maintain compliance to EHS legislation
Striving for Zero Harm
Last year witnessed Tirlán achieving “world leading” metric performance for “Lost Time Incidence Rate” for the first time, along with further embedding our “world leading” position for “Total Recordable Incidence Rate”. This marks an incredible milestone as this is the first time Tirlán has achieved such globally leading standards that every person should be proud of. Our EHS network does an extraordinary job to ensure “nothing we do is worth getting hurt for” and that we “go home safe, everyday”.
Some of the key milestone achievements throughout 2024 include:
- Overall Grand Prix Winner and Food & Beverage Category Winner of the Health & Safety Excellence Awards
- Completion of Root Cause Analysis Training to ensure our EHS Network approach events in a standardised manner
- Completion of action plans to further enhance our Safety Culture including targeted initiatives to address areas for development identified in the SeaChange Safety Culture survey, ensuring our safety culture evolves alongside our operational needs
- Ongoing workplace enhancements, particularly traffic management plans to minimise vehicle-pedestrian interactions and the introduction of mechanical aids to alleviate manual handling risks. These measures aim to create a safer and more ergonomic work environment.
Striving for Compliance Everyday
The commitment of our site management teams, particularly our EHS Network, to effectively manage relationships with external stakeholders such as our neighbours and Environmental Agency Inspectors has resulted in significant milestones such as:
- Reduction in environmental nuisance complaints in facilities that are in close proximity to members of the public
- Wastewater optimisation projects leading to performance improvements along with Capex avoidance, showcasing our commitment to effective and efficient sustainable practices
- Progressed drainage management practices through enhanced drain mapping and integrity testing processes, culminating in the roll-out of the Tirlán Drainage Management Standard
- Updated GHG permits were issued to some of our sites by the EPA. This is on foot of considerable efforts by site teams in updating records via a new EPA online system. The development of the Tirlán EU ETS Compliance Handbook progressed on foot of these efforts.
As we close out an eventful 2024 and look forward to 2025, our past efforts solidify Tirán’s position as a leader in workplace EHS, driving not just compliance but a proactive culture of care and responsibility.
In 2025, our efforts will continue on the development of our EHS Network along with focused initiatives and standards development to drive further improvement. As a Central Team, we look forward to working with the business to achieve these goals and thank you for your ongoing commitment to our EHS programmes.
Consumer news for 2025
Consumer news for 2025
New Avonmore Slimline milk campaign ‘More of What’s Good for You’ goes live
Avonmore Slimline Milk wants to help consumers get off to the best start in 2025. Their January campaign – More of What’s Good for You – encourages consumers to look after their health and wellbeing for the year ahead, whilst reminding them that Avonmore Slimline milk has more nutrients than other skimmed milks on the market.
To launch the campaign, you’ll find three limited edition Avonmore Slimline milk cartons in stores, with the words RESET, RECHARGE and REFOCUS. The cartons feature a QR code bringing consumers to a website where they can enter a competition to win a luxury spa weekend and other weekly prizes including cinema tickets, sports gear, book vouchers and more. The campaign is supported with outdoor advertising, in-store activation and social media advertising.
Avonmore Slimline milk is enriched with iron, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and folic acid, making it easy to help you get more of what’s good for you.
This campaign is a result of strong collaboration across a number of functions including marketing, commercial, compliance and operations.
Today FM Sponsorship
We’re excited to announce our new partnership with Today FM, which kicked off on January 6th! Avonmore is teaming up with the station to sponsor the entertainment news segments on two of the biggest shows in Irish radio – the Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show and the David Moore Show.
Our sponsorship will start with Avonmore Super Milk followed by a spotlight on Mooju in February and will feature other products from our range throughout the year. This strategy allows us deliver seasonal brand messages while maintaining strong, year-round brand visibility for Avonmore.
It is also a fantastic platform to build awareness of our latest innovation like Avonmore Vitamins and More, a vitamin-packed, high-protein drink. Perfect for busy mornings, this nutritious beverage is designed to fuel your day with essential vitamins and extra protein.
With a large and engaged national audience, the Today FM sponsorship is a perfect fit for Avonmore, offering a powerful platform to boost brand awareness and connect with our key customers.
The power of collaboration
The power of collaboration
A successful partnership between Linwoods Overnight Oats and Tirlán has led to industry recognition for the brand
Launched in January 2024, Linwoods Overnight Oats has recently earned the “Best New Product” award from Your Healthy Living magazine. A key ingredient in this award-winning product is Tirlán’s Gluten Free Quick Cook Oat Flakes, which make up 65% of the recipe.
Linwoods is celebrating the remarkable growth of its overnight oats over the past year. Available across all major retailers in Ireland and the UK, the product achieved milestone success by selling out in Tesco Northern Ireland within its first week on the shelves. Linwoods is set to build on this momentum in 2025, with plans to introduce its overnight oats to additional European markets.
Linwoods has strong forecasted a demand for Tirlán’s Gluten Free Quick Cook Oat Flakes and has highlighted the exceptional quality of Tirlán’s Gluten Free Oats and the dependable service of supply provided by Tirlán.
This success story highlights the powerful collaboration between Linwoods and Tirlán, showcasing how high-quality ingredients and innovative products can lead to industry accolades and consumer demand.
China team recognised for their community efforts
China team recognised for their community efforts
The Tirlán China Team have been honoured as “2024 Best Volunteer Service Organisation”
We are thrilled to announce that the Tirlán China team has been recognised as the “2024 Best Volunteer Service Organisation in the Middle Huaihai Community”. This prestigious accolade honours the team’s dedication to community welfare and highlights their significant contributions to community development and support throughout the year.
In May 2024, the Tirlán China team made a generous donation of oat milk to the Huaihai Community, focusing on supporting the elderly and vulnerable groups. This initiative led to Tirlán officially becoming a public welfare partner of the Huaihai Community Foundation. The community workstations that benefitted from the donations expressed their appreciation through handwritten thank-you letters, highlighting their gratitude for the China Team’s charitable efforts.
During Chief Operating and Consumer Officer Jim O’ Neill’s visit to China in May 2024, he participated in a donation ceremony in the Huaihai Community, where he presented oat milk to the senior attendees. He engaged with the community management to discuss sustainable development and Tirlán’s efforts in environmental protection. Additionally, Jim delivered a speech to promote Tirlán within the community, helping the audience gain a deeper understanding of both Ireland and Tirlán’s mission.
This recognition is a testament to the hard work and commitment of Tirlán’s team in China. Their efforts have not only made a positive impact on the community, but have also strengthened Tirlán’s reputation as a company dedicated to social responsibility and environmental sustainability. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Huaihai Community and making a difference in the lives of those we serve all around the world.
2024 highlights and best wishes for 2025
2024 highlights and best wishes for 2025
Another successful year, 2024 was defined by our achievements and hard work
As we look back on the past 12 months, it’s been a year of both challenges and incredible achievements for Tirlán. Delivering our successes is all thanks to the hard work, dedication and unwavering commitment of team Tirlán.
Celebrating our Achievements – take a look back at our 2024 highlights:
Wishing you the best for the New Year, here’s to a bright and successful 2025.
Farm Focus out now
Farm Focus out now
The first edition of Farm Focus 2025 is now available
Check out our January edition of Tirlán Farm Focus. This edition includes news, views and technical farm advice from across the organisation. #Hereforgood
Click HERE to view Farm Focus on ISSUU