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Christmas trees

Christmas trees are a significant niche crop in Ireland, with an annual market value of around €15m. Bord Bia estimate that around 100 growers annually harvest 700,000 trees for sale. About 300,000 are exported, mainly to Britain and France. Christmas trees are grown mainly in counties Wicklow, Wexford and Carlow but also in Kerry, Tipperary, Roscommon and Dublin. The most popular varieties grown are the Nordmann fir (70%) and the Noble fir (20%), which suit our soil types. Their ability to retain their needles makes them popular with customers. On average it takes 7 – 10 years for a Christmas tree to grow to a minimum height of 2 metres.

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Milk processor map

Thirteen major firms process Ireland's milk and produce butter, cheese, powders, fresh milk and other products for the domestic and export market. Kilkenny based Glanbia plc (glanbia.com) is the largest, followed by Kerry Group (www.kerry.com) Dairygold co-op (www.dairygold.ie) and Lakeland Dairies co-op (www.lakeland.ie). Glanbia and Kerry are publicly quoted companies listed on the Irish Stock Exchange, while the remainder are farmer owned co-operatives. Each month, the Irish Farmers Journal publishes a Milk League that tracks the price paid for milk by eack processor (www.farmersjournal.ie)

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Dairy farmers per county

Dairy farming is practiced throughout all counties of Ireland, although Munster and eastern counties have the greatest number of cows. Cork had over 4,200 dairy herds, while Tipperary, Kerry and Limerick are also significant. A noted dairy production region touching all four counties is the "Golden Vale", a stretch of top quality land across Limerick, Tipperary and Cork and including the hinterlands of the towns of Charleville, Michelstown, Kilmallock and Tipperary.

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River margins

A river flowing through a field with sheep and a mountain in the distance.

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Irish National Stud

The State owned Irish National Stud (www.irishnationalstud.ie) based at Tully in Co Kildare is a major tourist attraction, with some of the most magnificent horses and sumptuous gardens to be found anywhere in the world. It is a working stud, with elite stallions available to breeders at commercial rates. The farm, purchased by Colonel William Hall Walker at the turn of the 20th century, helps Ireland retain its global leadership position in thoroughbred horse breeding. Each year, over 115,000 visit the farm and its exhibits. In May 2011, Queen Elizabeth II, a noted horse breeder, visited the farm during her historic State visit.

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