The Cleary’s farm is in Hugginstown, County Kilkenny, and has been in the Cleary family for as long as anyone can remember – it was passed down to Martin from his father. Pat Cleary lives on the farm with his mum and dad, Bridget and Martin, and about 120 cows. Just like Martin, Bridget was also brought up on a farm just a few miles away in a small village called Carrickshock. Pat Cleary is actually the cousin of another of the farmers in our ad, and last season’s featured farmer – Pat Holden.
The Cleary’s farm isn’t an average farm, as it is attached to a pub, called Cleary’s, and the Cleary family live above the pub. Whilst it is Martin and Pat’s job to look after the farm, it is Bridget who runs the successful pub, which has become the hub of the local community. Every night, the bar is packed with locals, many of whom are also farmers. People in the local community even use the pub to hold special events such as 21st birthday parties and christening celebrations. St. Patrick’s Day is on the 17th March, and there’s always a big celebration held in the Cleary’s pub. Bridget serves green drinks to the customers, and an Irish band plays traditional Irish music.
Pat Cleary told us all about his life living on the Cleary’s farm. Pat loves farming, and looking after the farm with his dad - he loves animals, and the outdoor lifestyle. When he’s not farming, Pat is interested in all sports. He follows football, and has a particular interest in Manchester United. He also likes hurling, and used to play for Carrickshock Hurling Club. Pat also likes playing poker, and organises a game every Sunday and Wednesday night in their pub.
Like many of the other Kerrygold Farmers, Pat is a member of a discussion group, where local farmers gather together once a month to discuss problems they may be encountering, share tips, and help each other out. As some older farmers are members of the group, they can be a great help as they can share their past experiences. Last autumn, the cooperative sponsored members of the discussion group on a trip to Dubai to compare the farming methods used, (which are very different to those used in Ireland) and to learn about the time management skills of farmers working on huge scale farms. In Dubai, the farms were in the middle of the desert, and housed around 1,000 cows, which are milked three times a day, and eat imported straw from Spain.
to find out more about The Clearys