I farm: “Alongside my father, Michael, and mother Martina, on a lowland and hill farm. We own about 70% of our 120 acres.”

Sheep: ”About 100 Mayo Blackface and Hilltex ewes are lambed here each year in April, but with the bad weather we might pull it back until May. The ewes are brought down to be fed meal two weeks prior to lambing. We also fatten a couple of hundred store lambs in the shed each year, but the factory prices are very poor. We have just weaned our own lambs and sent the ewes up to the mountain as it hasn’t been grazed yet this year.”

Shearing: “We kept some of our own lambs last year and my cousin, Seán, sheared them last month with the electric shears. My father shears our own ewes with the hand shears. He does a few every day. He likes to keep the traditional ways alive as not many farmers still do it.”

College: “I have just completed a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Environmental Management in Atlantic Technological University Galway, which I got a first-class honours in, and also my Green Cert. Even with the expansion of the agri-environmental schemes, work is still hard to get in the west of Ireland. We joined ACRES ourselves as some of the actions suited the blanket bog landscape we have here in Erris.”

Future: “My father is involved in sheep dealing around Erris. He buys from farmers and sells them in the mart. I have always gone with him and lately I have been keeping the odd ewe lamb with a nice head to try get a uniform flock. Fencing will have to be done to keep the ewes from breaking out and there’s always the bit of shearing to keep us busy.”

Beekeeping: “It started with my mother three to four years ago, and we have built it up to three hives. Harvesting the honey hasn’t gone well for us to date, but this year we have got a great return.”