Saying Dia dhuit (Jee-ah ghwitch) to Irish Farmers

March 17, 2022
A stone wall with a wooden gate in the middle of a field

In light of St. Patrick’s Day and also for some positive news from across the ocean, IL Corn caught up with a couple of Irish farmers in different areas. Here’s a little bit about their stories.

 

What are Ireland’s landscapes like?

Before getting to know some farmers, what would you expect from an Irish countryside? Nicknamed the Emerald Isle because of it’s wide fields of lush green, Ireland is also known for having a patchwork of many different landscapes including mountains, hills, and peat bogs.

Meet Padraig Murphy

Like many farmers in Illinois, Padraig Murphy grew up on a farm with his family helping his father. Their farm is a mixture of cattle and sheep. His father, just like him, has always worked full time and farmed part time. After college, Padraig decided to get his herd number (license) to also help on the farm while working full time. He started out teaching and now is a principal at a small school in Wicklow.

He enjoys continuing to farm because of the time it allows him to be peaceful outside from his day job. In the last 5 years, their land has had an opportunity to grow their entrepreneurship into ag tourism (recently slowed due to COVID). 

A man in a white shirt is smiling for the camera.
A man and a woman are petting sheep in a field

Rath Ban Farm Cottage

The Murphy’s renovated a cottage on their land and have combined that with farm tours to catch a glimpse of the Irish farm-life, even allowing some guests to help with daily chores.

 

Wicklow Way

Besides the farm, another attraction for tourists is Wicklow Way, the most well known trail in Ireland. This trail is not too far from Dublin and extends around 80 miles or a 7 day hike. The hiking experience includes a variety of scenic experiences with streams, forests, farmland and mountains. Wicklow Way runs through the Murphy’s farmland so they have given their permission to allow hikers to stop and go through it.

See more pictures of Wicklow Farms owned by the Murphy’s here.

Meet Kieran McEvoy



Another Irish farmer, Kieran, is a full time grain farmer who also volunteers for the Irish Farmers Association and is the National Grains Chairman. Watch this video of Kieran.

Ted
By Tara Desmond July 24, 2025
Vietnam veteran and Illinois farmer Ted shares his journey from war to farming, showing the strength and resilience of America’s rural veterans.
Justin Moore headshot
By Tara Desmond July 23, 2025
Meet Justin Moore a staff member at IL Corn.
washington dc photo
By Lindsay Croke July 17, 2025
“If such language is included in the policy recommendations, it could significantly hamper the work of America’s farmers and raise prices on consumers without providing any additional layer of safety for the American public,” the letter said. “If the pesticides in the original report were to disappear completely, crop
FFA students at USDA
By Lyndi Allen July 17, 2025
IL Corn leaders met with lawmakers in Washington, D.C. to discuss key ag priorities like trade, conservation, ethanol, and lock and dam infrastructure, while mentoring the next generation of advocates from Illinois FFA.
corn
By Lydia Rogers July 14, 2025
Debunking Myths
headshot of Shelby Watson
By Tara Desmond July 14, 2025
We recently caught up with Shelby Watson following the announcement of her promotion to Director, The Americas & Allied Industry Programs at USAPEEC. In her expanded role, Shelby is taking on new responsibilities across Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.
Show More