Shane Fitzgerald

Shane Fitzgerald is a young dairy farmer managing 93 hectares (230 ac) in Portlaw, Co. Waterford. Farming with his fiancé Kate and father John, they run a spring-calving, grass-based system of 210 Holstein Friesian cows. They have reached the maximum herd they can carry and are turning their attention to building on the environmental gains they have been making in the last few years.

20% of their grassland is a multi-species sward with the remainder having a clover/grass mix. Nitrogen output has dropped from 250kg/ha to 150kg/ha. They’ve stopped spraying under hedgerows and along boundaries to allow space for nature and have also revised their hedgerow management aiming for that good A-shape. Shane is of the opinion that ‘If you need every inch of land under production you must be doing something wrong’.

They have joined ACRES but not just for the sake of it; Shane is focussed on improving the biodiversity on the farm after becoming more aware of the issues. He is adamant that any farm business must find the balance between the three pillars of sustainability; financial, environmental and social ‘if you’re not leaving room for nature or the farm isn’t economically viable, the farm won’t survive, if it’s not enjoyable the next generation won’t be interested’. They’ve incorporated 3m field margins, riparian buffer zones and installed owl boxes under ACRES and they are looking for more through the Native Woodland Scheme. Through the Farming for Nature Horse’s Mouth program they were advised by Ambassador Gearóid Maher and consequently had a wildlife pond dug in 2023.

The plan for the future, consists of more tree planting to create smaller paddocks and providing better wildlife corridors with the ultimate aim of giving the Barn Owl every possible chance of making it to their owl boxes.

NOMINATOR: Elaine Houlihan, President Macra na Feirme
NOMINATION:
Shane is farming with his father John and his partner Kate near Portlaw Co. Waterford. They are farming 93 Ha of which 30 Ha is leased.

Shane is a farmer that is passionate about nature and has taking action to aid this with numerous wild life areas, bat boxes, owl boxes placed around the farm to name a few he has also planted multi species swards to help with the biodiversity on farm.

Shane does not just adapt these practices but he shows people on his social media and farm walks about the importance of our nature and what actions we can do to help it - he ran a farm walk with agriaware that saw over 1000 people come to his farm in one day to see exactly what he does to those farming and for the non farmers to see what happens on a dairy farm day in and day out.

Shane’s farm is one that needs to be seen just to understand the vast amount he does to aid nurture as a farmer in our society today.