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12 Sept 2025
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12 Sept 2025
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Michael O'Connor, chair of the Limerick and Clare Milk Producers, with committee members Larry Lahiff, Paul Hannan, John McSweeney I PICTURE: Brendan Gleeson
THE LIMERICK and Clare Milk Producers annual dinner dance last Friday was held on the perfect date.
A week earlier and it could have been called off due to the tailend of the heavy snow and dangerous driving conditions. And if it was on this Friday night it would have been in the teeth of Storm Eowyn.
Bad weather was also addressed in chairman, Michael O’Connor’s always enlightening and informative speech in the Dunraven Arms Hotel.
“The year 2024 was to say the least unusual. We had a spring which was more like winter which went on and on, and our so-called summer with a constant wind chill from the north and east. Grass growth struggled all year.
“But like everything, if you wait long enough, things came some way right in the back end of the year,” said Mr O’Connor.
The Croagh man said the extra four to six weeks grazing was the saving grace for those who were not too flush with winter feed in the yard and “to add cream to it the milk price came right also”.
“So here’s hoping for a positive 2025,” said Mr O’Connor.
He continued: “For those of us that are Kerry suppliers, 2024 was a milestone after over 50 years of Kerry Co-op and a lot of speculation whether there would be a joint venture with Kerry Group PLC.
“It was eventually put to a vote of shareholders and they voted four to one in favour of buying the milk producers’ facilities etc and to let original shareholders get their hands on their own money and to oversee the work of the new venture.”
READ MORE: PICTURES: Limerick and Clare Milk Producers dinner dance
Mr O’Connor said he was delighted to welcome Pat Murphy who will be the new CEO and James Tangney who will be the chairman.
“All I can say Pat and James is every success going forward because our success depends on ye making a success of the business,” said Mr O’Connor.
He thanked the Dunraven Arms Hotel for the sumptuous meal and great service; their long list of sponsors who make the event such a success and the hard-working committee for selling the tickets.
As dinner dances are becoming rarer and rarer it is great to see the Limerick and Clare Milk Producers continuing to be a fixture in the calendar.
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