Richard Lucey from Ballyclough near Mallow, Co Cork, has been announced as the overall winner of the Dairygold malting barley competition.

The winner was announced at the annual Dairygold Tillage Conference on 17 January at Corrin Mart.

Richard was chosen as the overall winner from four finalists from north Cork, east Cork, south Cork and Tipperary.

The four finalists were chosen based on malting barley quality in their regions and after this were judged on farming practices and farm sustainability.

Richard farms with his wife Jan and four daughters. He grew Planet malting barley in 2024. There is a varied crop rotation on the farm, with beans, winter wheat, winter barley, winter oats and spring barley all being grown.

Richard farms along the River Blackwater. Soil sampling is a top priority on the farm and applying the correct nutrients to optimise use.

The remaining three finalists and regional winners were:

  • Christy Ring, east Cork regional winner.
  • Barry Good, south Cork regional winner.
  • John O’Donnell, Tipperary regional winner.